Shaw named new police chief for city
Published 9:10 am Thursday, November 17, 2016
Star Photo/Abby Morris-Frye
On Wednesday Elizabethton City Manager Jerome Kitchens, second from left, named Jason Shaw, at left, as the new Elizabethton Police Chief. Following the announcement, Kitchens took Shaw around to formally introduce him to other city employees. Here Shaw and Kitchens speak with Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library Director Renita Barksdale, at right, and Children’s Librarian Ashlee Williams, second from right.
Police Chief Jason Shaw
Elizabethton has a new police chief, but his face will be familiar to many in the community.
On Wednesday afternoon, Elizabethton City Manager Jerome Kitchens announced that Jason Shaw had been selected to serve as Police Chief for the Elizabethton Police Department. Shaw had been serving as the Interim Chief since the previous chief Greg Workman left the department to accept a position as the city’s purchasing officer.
“Jason was one of the final four out of 13 candidates,” Kitchens said. “We had nothing but positive response from the public as far as his work performance and from the department as well.”
“We’re proud to be able to elevate a local person into this position,” he added.
Shaw began his career in law enforcement with the Elizabethton Police Department on Feb. 22, 1999.
“I started out as the housing officer assigned to the police substation on Pine Ridge Circle,” Shaw said.
Throughout his career, Shaw has served in a variety of positions with the department including the patrol division, criminal investigations and the department’s Special Response Team. He was serving as a Captain over one of the department’s patrol shifts when he stepped in to serve as Interim Chief.
“It’s an honor to be named to the position,” Shaw said of his promotion. “I want to be the police chief that the folks at the police department and the citizens will be proud of.”
While new to the position officially, Shaw said there are some things he would like to work on as chief.
“I want to start some community policing initiatives,” Shaw said, adding it’s important for the department to be involved in the community it serves. “I want to continue to encourage our officers to get out of the car more and interact with the citizens.”
In addition to his work with the Police Department, Shaw has also been heavily involved with the Stoney Creek Volunteer Fire Department. Shaw served as the Chief of the Stoney Creek VFD until he was named Interim Police Chief, at which time he stepped down from that role.
“I hope to still be able to help those guys out from time,” Shaw said, but added he is focusing all of his efforts on the police department.
