Sewell Sworn In as Chief

With his wife Pamela by his side, was sworn in as chief by Chief Municipal Court Judge Stephen Yaklin at Monday night's City Council meeting.

Sewell, 61, is set to start on Aug. 1.

He began his law enforcement career with the Morrow Police Department in 1975 as a police officer. He would work there until 2005, serving as the department’s chief from 2004 to 2005.

He retired in December 2005 but reemerged in September 2006 to become the police chief of McMinnville, TN, the position he will be transitioning from to Powder Springs.

Sewell was nominated by City Manager Rick Eckert to the City Council over the two other chief finalists: current interim chief and Cobb County police Maj. , and , an assistant special agent in charge of the Atlanta Field Division for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The council .

Eckert said Monday that the city is still negotiating Sewell's salary, but it will likely be around $90,000.

The former chief, L. Rick Richardson, was  after being on leave since late November.

 said he authorized the sale of two surplus police cars for an undervalued amount directly to the Braswell Police Department in 2007 instead of putting them up for auction, which was required of the surplus vehicles. Mayor Pat Vaughn later clarified that there was a third car involved.