LaFAYETTE — After being appointed to the position in May, Captain George Rampey of the LaFayette Police Department was sworn in as Police Chief during the LaFayette City Council meeting Monday night.

The council chamber was standing-room-only, due to a large portion of Rampey’s home congregation, Mountain Springs Baptist in Salem, attending his swearing in. After local pastor Rev. Ed Vines gave the opening invocation, Rampey was officially sworn in by Judge Calvin Milford.

“No turning back now,” joked Mayor Barry
Moody before allowing Rampey to share his thoughts.

“I want to give all the honor and glory to God and thank him for this opportunity, for him to put trust in me and believe that I am able to do this,” Rampey began. “I thank God for the mayor and the city council members who had the confidence in me to elect me as the new chief of police. I thank God for this opportunity in a place where I have served for a long time and I thank Him for allowing me to serve in this capacity now.”

He continued by thanking God for his family, friends, ministers and church members, who gave a roaring applause in his honor.

“Love is what love does and I thank God for this moment,” Rampey said. “I thank God for the city of LaFayette. We look forward to doing bigger and better things and we hope to make everybody proud.”

The entire council congratulated him. As he took a spot among his congregation, the mayor shared some words.

“With change comes opportunity,” Moody said. “There is always an opportunity to do things better. We have a long history here of very good police chiefs, and we are very proud of each and every one who served and gave their time to this city.”

Mayor Moody spoke on the importance of city-wide safefty, expressing his full confidence that Rampey will keep that feeling alive in LaFayette.

“We are going to be here to support you,” Moody said. “It’s your time now.”

In other city council business, City Superintendent George Green confirmed that phase one of LaFayette City Park renovation is complete, with the entire project expected to be done in “two or three weeks.”

The council then discussed how they will handle dilapidated property in the city and decided to move the discussion to a future date, when more information on the issue will be available.