Joplin named its new police chief Thursday.
In a press release Thursday, City Manager Nick Edwards announced that Rich Pearson has been hired as the chief of the Joplin Police Department.
Pearson is currently serving as captain of the Jefferson County Public School System Police Department in Louisville, Ky.
He also served 22 years in the Louisville Metro Police Department and taught in the Criminal Justice Department of Ivy Tech Community College in Sellersburg, IN.
Edwards said in a press release, “During his interview, it was easy to recognize that Chief Pearson has the experience addressing many of the issues that are present, or soon will be, in our community.”
Edwards also noted his deep appreciation for Joplin’s current Assistant Chief Brian Lewis who is serving as the Interim Chief and also interviewed for the position of Chief.
Pearson will start with the Joplin Police Department on December 18. Pearson and his wife will move to Joplin from Louisville in the upcoming months.
Joplin's former Police Chief Sloan Rowland retired in June after a 35-year public safety career in Missouri and Kansas.
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