COVINGTON, Ga. — With more than 36 years in law enforcement, Covington’s top cop announced his last call on duty.

The Covington Police Department shared on Facebook that Chief of Police Stacey Cotton had his last call for his career on Tuesday.

Cotton began his journey with the Covington Police Department in January 1987. Since then, he climbed the ranks from sergeant to lieutenant to assistant police chief, and ultimately chief of police in 1997.

The department said that under Cotton’s leadership, they have remained internationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), since its initial accreditation in 1985.

Cotton was awarded “Outstanding Chief of the Year” by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police and is currently a “life member” of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, according to the department.

In a five-minute video shared on Facebook, the department thanked Cotton for his loyalty and unwavering support throughout the years:

“He has served the City of Covington with diligence and loyalty for over half of his life. His resolve to keep our community safe drove him to work tirelessly through the most difficult challenges and during great times as well. Regardless of the obstacle or the accolade, his commitment to Covington has been unwavering and consistent.”

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