Fair / 76° F
OPD chief to retire Oct. 31
Published 12:04am Saturday, October 13, 2012
After four years as police chief and more than three decades with the police department, Opp Police Chief Nickey Carnley is retiring, effective Oct. 31.
At a Friday council meeting, Opp Mayor H.D. Edgar and council members appointed assistant chief Mike McDonald to fill in until the new administration takes over and selects a new chief.
Mayor-elect John Bartholomew said he’s working on finding a new chief.
“We have someone in mind,” he said. “We’re going to announce it pretty quickly, probably within a week.”
Carnley said he’s had a “wonderful” 32 years.
“Most folk have hobbies like hunting and fishing,” he said. “Well, mine is law enforcement.”
Carnley said, “there’s no telling where I may turn up next.”
“I’ve got a lot of job offers,” he said.
Carnley first joined the Opp Police Department in May 1980 and, along with a small stint at the Covington County Sheriff’s office from 1983 to 1990, has remained a vigilant member of the Opp law enforcement community.
Carnley was appointed chief in 2008, when former chief Bill Shaw retired. Before then he was a captain and senior investigator for the OPD.
