Jernigan named police chief
MADISON – Madison City Council has selected David Jernigan as Police Chief of Madison Police Department
Council interviewed five finalists on May 20 and then called a work session on May 30 to sanction Mayor Paul Finley’s contract negotiations with Jernigan.
Jernigan has been working as Chief Deputy for Madison County Sheriff’s Department. He supervises 224 personnel with 123 certified officers. Jernigan manages Uniform Patrol, Records/Communications, and Investigations. Previously, he worked 29 years with the FBI.
While in the sheriff’s office, Jernigan assisted with introducing body cameras for officers and overhauled citizen complaints.
He is a graduate of the Northeast Alabama Law Enforcement Academy and a state-certified peace officer. Jernigan earned a bachelor’s degree in forensic science from the University of Central Florida (Orlando) in 1980 and a master’s degree in justice and public safety from Auburn University Montgomery in 1999. He also has extensive FBI training.
Jernigan is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Alabama Sheriff’s Association, FBI National Academy Associates and Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI.
Jernigan and his wife Mary Beth live in Madison and have two children.
The other finalists for Police Chief were Thomas Johnson, Captain for Upper Darby Police Department in Pennsylvania; Robert Buckman, Chief Deputy, Operations Bureau Commander for Loudoun County Sherriff’s Office in Leesburg, Va.; Keith McPheeters, retired Deputy Police Chief in Farmington, N.M.; and Larry Lindsey, Captain, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Memphis, Tenn.
Jernigan fills the slot vacated in November 2016 by Larry Muncey, former chief of police. Muncey resigned after seven months on administrative leave, following contempt charges stemming from the Eric Parker trials. During the interim, Major Jim Cooke served as Acting Chief of Police.
The salary range for Police Chief of Madison Police Department is $85,000 to $115,000 annually, according to the job description that was posted to the city’s website, madisonal.gov.
Jernigan will report to work on July 3.
