30 Halloweens...

Interim Chief Joe A. Bartlett is retiring today.  30 years of police work is a long time.  

Chief Bartlett,  or "Jab" as friends know him, was born and raised in Goldsboro.  He graduated from East Carolina and received his Master of Public Administration from ECU.   He started working at the Greenville Police Department shortly after graduation in 1985. 

He has been a dispatcher, patrol officer, Policy Researcher, Vice & Narcotics Supervisor, Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, Administration Bureau Commander, Patrol Bureau Commander, Investigations Bureau Commander, Deputy Chief of Police, and Interim Chief of Police.  He is also a graduate of the 182nd session of the FBI National Academy.  It is a very rare process for an officer in law enforcement today to move up through the ranks to become Police Chief, especially in a department as large as Greenville PD.

Chief Bartlett knows the history of this City and its Police Department.  He has seen the Department grow 
from a small town police force to a modern law enforcement agency, recognized state-wide as one of the best.   

He has seen the evolution of the Greenville Police Department go from typewriters and carbon paper, to computers and wireless technology; from blue steel revolvers to polymer and steel semi-automatics.   He was part of the growth of the department from fewer than 75 police offers to over 187 police officers now. 

Throughout his time at the Greenville Police Department, Chief Bartlett has sought to maintain a professional approach to his career.  He has been firm when necessary, and fair at all times. He is a strategic thinker, and he has always put the interests of the Department and its success above his own self interests.

Chief Bartlett enjoys fishing. He has traveled to Montana on many fishing trips, and plans to go fishing in Alaska after he retires.

Jab has been a leader and supervisor.  He has been a manager and a counselor.  He has been a mentor.  He has been a friend.

Jab, you will be missed.