A former DeKalb County Police chief has left retirement to head the Lithonia Police Department.

The Lithonia City Council has selected Eddie J. Moody as its new police chief. Moody, 58, was the DeKalb County Police chief from 2001-04.

Moody brings 30 years of law enforcement experience to the city, working his way up from a clerk typist in the county’s police department to become the police chief. After retiring from the county in 2004, Moody worked with Altegrity, a commercial provider of background investigations for the federal government, as an account executive and special investigator for several years.

While with DeKalb County, Moody created the Junior Police Academy, which has been recognized by the National Association of Counties and the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, established a crime analysis unit, reduced overtime for traffic court cases resulting in savings of more than $1 million, and managed the murder case investigation of Sheriff-Elect Derwin Brown.

“The City of Lithonia is very privileged to have someone like Chief Moody, who has a tremendous level of experience and an impeccable reputation, interested in the position,” said Lithonia Mayor Deborah A. Jackson said. “The Council and I are excited about Chief Moody’s working with the police department to help raise the standards and quality of service provided to the community.

Moody, who started his new position on Dec. 17, was one of 22 applicants for the job. Other applicants included Melvin Douglas, an investigator for the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office and Xavier Todd, who was the acting Lithonia police chief before Moody was selected.

Washington Varnum, the city’s previous acting police chief was relieved of his duties after a 2010 police certification revocation was upheld leaving him with no arrest powers. Varnum, who served as acting police chief since January, replaced former chief Kennis Harrell who suddenly resigned last December after just a year on the job.

Moody, who was the first Black to head the DeKalb County Police Department, retired from his position in 2004.

“Chief Moody told us he was ready to leave retirement, and we are glad that he wants to work in the community he grew up in,” Jackson said.