For Immediate Release

September 6, 2023

Lincolnton Appoints New Police Chief

The City of Lincolnton has selected Brian R. Greene as the new Police Chief after a rigorous nationwide search for a permanent replacement was conducted by Developmental Associates, LLC.

City Manager Ritchie Haynes commented, “I am extremely pleased to announce this appointment. It is always gratifying to be able to promote from within, and I am excited that our search led us back to Lincolnton.  Working with Developmental Associates on this search was enlightening, and we are grateful for all the work their staff and assessors put into this process.  Brian consistently showed through the assessment that he was an exceptional candidate, and we're lucky to have him here in the City of Lincolnton.”

Major Greene has been with the Lincolnton Police Department for 27 years, most recently serving as the Interim Police Chief since April 2023, after the retirement of former Chief Jordan. Greene has served in a broad variety of positions including serving as Assistant Police Chief for the past nine years. Originally hired as a patrol officer in 1996, Greene was promoted to Detective in 1998 and became Investigations Lieutenant in 2003. In 2014 Greene was promoted to Captain functioning as Assistant Police Chief; his rank was upgraded to Major in 2021. 

In addition to his extensive on-the-job experience, Chief Greene brings a wealth of educational and professional training to the Lincolnton Police Department with hundreds of hours of specialized training in the law enforcement field. He holds a BS from Gardner-Webb University, and earned his Master of Arts in Criminal Justice, with Honors, from American Military University in 2013. He graduated from the NC Justice Academy's Criminal Investigation Program in 1999 and earned his Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate in 2000. In 2013, Chief Greene graduated from the 248th Session of the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA.

As Major, Greene was already responsible for supervising 34 full-time officers, 4 part-time officers, 5 reserve officers and 4 civilians, the day-to-day operations of the department, and all department planning, including policy, procedures, and budgeting. He has been instrumental in several recent public safety initiatives in Lincolnton, including working closely with the Lincolnton Homeless Task Force and spearheading the installation of shared security cameras for downtown merchants.

Developmental Associates is a national talent search and development company based in Chapel Hill, NC. The company develops public safety candidate review processes that are valid, reliable, and viewed as transparent and fair by the participants for law enforcement, fire safety, emergency management, and emergency communication positions. DA creates legally defensible assessment center exercises to measure a range of technical, leadership, critical incident, and emotional intelligence skills using behavioral-based and validated psychological assessments including measurement of key skills for today such as empathy, impulse control, and social responsibility. The applicant candidate process uses highly trained, external subject matter experts to serve as assessors and delivers behavioral-based candidate feedback.

New Lincolnton Police Chief Brian Greene stated, “I am very excited, and humbled, by this appointment. I look forward to leading the LPD team and continuing our excellent service and support for Lincolnton residents, businesses, and visitors. I am ready to hit the ground running and eager to make sure Lincolnton remains a great place to live, work, and play.”

Greene lives in West Lincoln with his wife Lisa and their daughter. They have two additional children who also work as police officers for Gaston County and Cherryville.

Lincolnton Appoints New Police Chief (pdf)