By admin 
OXFORD, N.C. (WNCN) — The City of Oxford will have a new police chief next month, officials said Tuesday.
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According to city officials, Brandon Goins has been appointed chief of the Oxford Police Department. He will officially begin on June 8.
Goins will succeed Timothy Haywood, who was appointed interim chief last month after Patricia Ford retired from the position.
Officials said Goins has worked in law enforcement for more than 16 years. He is currently a lieutenant with the Bladensburg Police Department in Prince George’s County, Md., where he has held the positions of watch commander, Special Operations Division commander, and acting chief of police.
Goins previously spent 13 years with the Norfolk Police Department in Virginia, where he was a detective and undercover officer in the Vice and Narcotics Division and a corporal, sergeant, and acting lieutenant in the Gang Suppression Unit, according to city officials.
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According to city officials, Goins graduated cum laude from Norfolk State University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and has completed executive law enforcement training with the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association, the International Association of Chief’s of Police, and the Southern Police Institute. Goins is also completing the IACP Chief’s Leadership Certificate Program.
Officials said Goins has received the Hampton Roads Crime Line Top Cop Award, the Norfolk Police Distinguished Service Medal, and a Norfolk Police Commendation Letter. He was also nominated twice for Top Cop from the National Association for Police Organizations. Both Norfolk General District Court and Norfolk Circuit Court recognize Goins as an expert in narcotics.
“Chief Goins went through a very rigorous and competitive selection process,” City Manager Brent Taylor said in a statement. “Oxford was fortunate to have had a group of finalists with proven and accomplished records in law enforcement and significant leadership roles.
“He is committed not only to bettering himself, but also the department he will lead and the community where he will live,” he continued in his statement. “This process included interviews with five different panels and Chief Goins consistently demonstrated his experience, leadership, and commitment to community policing. Ultimately, he came through as the best fit for the Oxford community.”
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