ng to serve our citizens here in Mapleton,  said Allen.

 We understand there's some that still may not be completely on board, and that's understandable, and we can respect that. But at the same time, the work that we're doing, the people that we are attracting, the number of officers that want to come to work here has been truly astounding,  said Mayor Michael Owens.  And my duty as mayor is to ensure the safety and the welfare of the people in this city,  Owens added.

Officials hope that residents will still be excited for the city's progress.

 It's a great day for the public safety department, but a historic day for the Mableton Police Department,  said public safety director Kerry Stallings.

The city voted in Stallings as public safety director in late August. He oversees the police department and overall public safety system.

Stallings said Allen's name consistently came up during the search for police chief.

 We want one that's built on character, and I believe this police chief is the right one for the job,  said Stallings.

The onboarding process will be lengthy for the police department, with hiring and then training over the next three to four months at temporary facilities. Stallings said they are working to identify a permanent home for the police department.

Stallings and Allen said they will also need to establish policies and procedures.