The earliest documented Chief of Police of Carrollton was Benjamin H Crider in 1896.  In 1900, he was shot and killed in the line of duty.  During that time, Carrollton’s population was between 300-400 citizens. Since Crider’s death, Carrollton has employed 20 police chiefs.  Currently, the Carrollton Police Department, under the direction of Chief Joel Richards, serves a population of approximately 28,000 residents (excluding the campus at the University of West Georgia) and a daytime population of about 60,000 in a 23 square mile area.  In 1999, the Carrollton Police Department became a state certified law enforcement agency.