The City of Valdosta announced today that Leslie Manahan, currently a Lieutenant in the Bureau of Investigative Services in the Valdosta Police Department (VPD), has been named Investigative Bureau Commander. Manahan becomes the department’s first ever female to hold the position and will fill the vacancy left by Brian Childress, who recently became the department’s newest Chief of Police.
As the Investigative Bureau Commander, Manahan will oversee the investigation of all major crimes in the city and is responsible for assisting the Chief of Police with planning, budgeting, and managing the overall operation of the police department.
“Our internal search produced five experienced applicants, which made the decision a difficult one. All candidates were highly qualified for the position and were interviewed,” said Chief of Police Brain Childress. “I am proud to work with the professional men and women at the VPD and am confident that Commander Manahan will continue the department’s tradition of excellence.”
Manahan, who earned her Bachelor’s Degree from Valdosta State University in 1994, joined the VPD as a Patrol Officer in 1997. She became a Field Training Officer in 1999, was promoted to a Sergeant in the Patrol Bureau in 2002 and became a Lieutenant in the Bureau of Investigative Services in 2007. She is also a 2011 graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
As an investigator, Manahan has played an integral part in helping the department obtain its 100 percent solvability rate for homicides over the past three years. In 2009, the department investigated 10 homicides, in which nine were solved during the year. In 2010, Manahan helped solve the remaining cold case, ultimately making the arrest and bringing the case to closure.
During her employment with the VPD, Manahan has been a member of the Bicycle Patrol, Disciplinary Board and the Recruitment Team, and has also served as one of the department’s Hostage Negotiators since 2006.
“Commander Manahan sets the bar high and is a tremendous asset to our department,” said Chief Childress. “She has earned the respect of her peers, and I look forward to her continued leadership in the Bureau of Investigative Services.”
