Clarkesville has a new police chief. On Monday, the city council appointed Captain Danny Clouatre to succeed outgoing chief Brad Barrett.
A native of Habersham County, Clouatre served as Assistant Chief and Detective under Barrett. He joined the Clarkesville Police Department in 2005 and was promoted to Captain in 2007.
Clarkesville City Manager Keith Dickerson announced Clouatre as chief during Monday night’s Clarkesville City Council meeting. He said that when Chief Barrett turned in his resignation, the city received a lot of interest in filling that position.
Dickerson explained that he talked with the mayor and council, and “we felt like everything here had been running so well that we wanted to stay in-house, and we want to continue this program well into the future.” He then congratulated Clouatre on his new position.
Clouatre’s promotion to chief left a detective vacancy open. The council appointed Clarkesville PD Patrol Commander and Sergeant Ryan Ledford to fill that position.
“We started asking around a little bit and we found out he was the perfect guy. He had already been working at it some,” Dickerson said of Ledford.
Sgt. Ledford joined the department in 2009. A White County native, Ledford graduated from North Georgia Technical College’s Criminal Justice Program in 2007.
Honoring two decades of service
The council recognized Barrett for his decades of service to the city during their May 6th meeting.
Dickerson presented Barrett with a plaque and read aloud the inscription: “After 22 years, we want to thank you for your exemplary service and dedication to the citizens of the City of Clarkesville. We, the Mayor and Council, along with the residents of Clarkesville, present this to you in recognition of your 22 years of service.”
The city also gave Chief Barrett a going away basket and gift.
“Thank you very much for your service. My four-and-a-half years have been just seamless. I appreciate everything you have done,” Dickerson told the longtime police chief.
Barrett thanked Dickerson for the plaque and going away gifts but did not make any public comments during the presentation.
The career law enforcement officer turned in his resignation to the Clarkesville City Council on April 2. He told Now Habersham at the time, “I’m leaving because it feels like the right time.”
Barrett said he is considering a possible move to the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office.
“I’m entertaining the idea,” he said in April, “but I’m not fully committed yet.”
