The Lowell police department gets a new chief more than two months after the tragic death of Chief Joe Landers. Randy Harvey received the new badge during Lowell’s city council meeting.
Harvey was welcomed with a standing ovation from a supportive community and department he will lead.
Harvey replaces Chief Joe Landers who was hit by a drunk driver in April while riding his motorcycle in Florida.
“Chief Landers is like a brother to me. We worked together for close to 15 years," Harvey said.
"We hated to lose him, he built a good department and I’m basically going to take over where he left off," Harvey said.
Harvey said he began working for the Lowell Police Department 14 years ago after a phone call he got from Landers.
He was Captain and acting interim Chief since Landers' death and Mayor Eldon Long said timing was important for this appointment.
"I just wanted to allow proper time of healing. I wanted to see how other officers and other personnel were responding to Randy's leadership," Eldon Long said.
Harvey has around 20 years’ experience in law enforcement, which includes being a former Rogers police officer and Madison County deputy. He also recently completed FBI training in Virginia.
"He's a tremendous officer, a great asset to the city and I just want to capitalize on his skills and place the right person in the right position," Long said.
Mayor Long said this will help the department and the city move forward.
"This is going to benefit our citizens and benefit our city for many years to come. We look forward to getting old together," Long said.
Harvey said he's eager to move into his new role as Chief and continue Joe Landers legacy in the police department.
"I’m both excited and nervous because the buck stops with me now. There is no one above me other than the Mayor,” Harvey said.