James “J.D.” McClure will be the fourth person to lead the Gwinnett County Police Department since 2019.
County Administrator Glenn Stephens announced on social media Friday that Police Chief Brett West will retire after 30 years with the department. McClure, who currently serves as deputy chief of the department’s Operations Bureau, will take over August 21.
“The men and women of this agency are among the best in the country,” said McClure in a statement, “and I’m grateful for the ongoing support of the board and our residents as we strive to prioritize professionalism and bring pride to our community.”
McClure, who began his career as a Gwinnett police officer in 1996, will make history as the county’s first Black police chief. He became the highest-ranking Black officer in the department’s history in 2020 when he became deputy chief.
“I’m honored to have this opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Chief West and previous Gwinnett County police chiefs who have led with integrity and compassion,” McClure said in a statement.
West led the county’s police department for just over a year. He replaced Chief Tom Doran, who led the department for eight months after Chief Butch Ayers retired in 2019.
McClure and West could not be reached for comment on Monday.
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