FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. —
The Flowery Branch Police Department has appointed John R. Powell as its new deputy chief, adding another milestone to his lengthy and eventful law enforcement career.
Powell has spent more than four decades in policing, including a notable four-year period leading the Dothan Police Department in Alabama. His professional path, however, has not been without turbulence — including arrests, legal battles, and a high-profile dismissal from a South Georgia agency.
While working in Glynn County, Powell became the subject of a criminal investigation when a grand jury indicted him on perjury charges. Prosecutors accused him of providing false statements to conceal a relationship between a narcotics officer and a confidential informant. The case ultimately unraveled when the Georgia Supreme Court overturned the charges.
Powell’s time in Dothan was marked by friction within the department. Internal disputes led to strong criticism from some officers, who claimed he mishandled operations and pushed for his removal. Tensions affected relationships with his command staff and contributed to a strained rapport with the local press.
Supporters, however, argued that Powell was met with resistance from an entrenched “good-old-boy” network that opposed a chief brought in from outside the community — especially after the department had faced a series of public scandals.
Despite the controversy, Powell initiated several significant actions during his tenure:
• He reopened the long-dormant case involving the 1978 killing of Dothan Officer Robert Jackson, later granting the fallen officer a posthumous promotion.
• He oversaw a major incident at a medical clinic in which an armed suspect ultimately surrendered peacefully, avoiding serious injury to civilians or officers.
Before arriving in Dothan, Powell had run unsuccessfully for sheriff in Florida’s Escambia County. He sought the office again after leaving Alabama, but that campaign was disrupted when investigators accused him of breaching campaign finance reporting rules. Powell maintained the allegations were politically driven.
Powell recently stepped into his duties as deputy chief in Flowery Branch, marking a new chapter in a career defined by both leadership opportunities and significant controversy.
