The city’s interim police leader has been named by the mayor to be the new chief.

On Monday, Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist named Timothy Jackson as the new chief of the Jamestown Police Department. Jackson has been the interim police chief since July following the retirement of Harry Snellings. Jackson’s appointment is subject to approval by Jamestown City Council, which is slated to vote on the appointment at its voting session meeting Monday, Nov. 30.

“The Jamestown Police Department has a highly qualified workforce of officers, detectives, supervisors and support staff,” Jackson said. “I am fortunate to be chosen to lead such a well-trained and hard-working group of individuals. It is my job to make sure they have the training, support and resources, to serve the people of Jamestown.”

Jackson has served in the Jamestown Police Department since May 2000, he has received his bachelor of arts degree in sociology from the State University of New York at Fredonia and his masters of administration of justice from Mercyhurst University. He served in the U.S. Navy Reserve from 2002 to 2008 and was deployed for Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom from 2005-2006.

Jackson was on the JPD SWAT team from 2002 to 2015, acting as SWAT team commander from 2010 to 2015. He also has been an 18-year adjunct professor at Jamestown Community College. He is a life-long resident of the city of Jamestown where he resides with his wife.

“I’m grateful to have worked for excellent supervisors during my career who served as role models,” Jackson said. “The previous chiefs have made great strides to improve the department, and I plan on continuing what my predecessors started. I look forward to continuing and improving engagement with the community and building relationships with community stakeholders. The police department will continue to be accountable to the public and continuously improve on ways to keep Jamestown safe.”

Sundquist added, “Tim Jackson has shown through his decades of experience with JPD along with his leadership as interim police chief these past four months that he is the best candidate to lead the police department forward as we look at ways to continue improving community engagement and policing.”

As part of the chief search process, Sundquist established a Jamestown Police Chief Recommendation Committee that included Anthony Dolce, Jamestown City Council president; Tamu Graham-Reinhardt, At-Large councilwoman; Matthew Coon, deputy fire chief; Benjamin McLaughlin, fire lieutenant; Douglas Weaver, police detective; Adam McKinley, police sergeant; and city residents the Rev. Reggie Smith and Sabrina Gustafson.

Earlier this year, Sundquist said around 30 people applied for the position, with the committee interviewing 16 of the candidates who qualified for the position. He said city officials received applications from all over the country, just not local candidates. Sundquist said the committee recommended three individuals to be the next chief. At that point, he picked the new police chief.

“The review committee has been instrumental in whittling down the applicants to hone in on a selection that will be a real important part of our community,” Sundquist said.