One of Pearl Police Department’s own is coming home to take the office of police chief.
According to PIO, Therese Apel, Nick McLendon, who started his career in 2004 as a reserve officer at Pearl PD, will be sworn in at the March 5 meeting of the Board of Aldermen.
“I’m excited to have Chief McLendon at the Pearl Police Department,” said Mayor Jake Windham. “He has had a very impressive career during his years in law enforcement and I know that his success will continue in coming home to Pearl.”
Currently serving as the police chief at Richland, McLendon has held several assignments throughout his career at Pearl and Richland police departments. He worked patrol and SWAT at first, then moving up to K9 and Criminal Interdiction in 2008.
McClendon moved to the city of Richland to serve as a K9 and Interdiction officer at the end of 2008, and was promoted to Lieutenant in 2012.
In 2016, McLendon became Captain over the Richland Flex Division, supervising traffic, narcotics, and interdiction in addition to being the asset, vest grant, and equitable sharing manager.
When Chief Russel James retired in February 2022, McLendon stepped into the spot and has led the Richland Police Department ever since.
Coming home has meaning, McLendon said.
“It’s a great feeling to come back to the town where I began as a reserve officer,” he said. “Being able to come full circle is an honor I’m really proud of and I’m excited to step into this new leadership role.”
McLendon succeeds former Chief Dean Scott, who had been top cop in Pearl since 2018.
