Longtime CMPD official takes over Matthews Police Department on interim basis

A retired Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police official has taken over the Matthews Police Department temporarily.

The town announced Friday that Kenneth Williams would assume command as interim chief effective Monday, Sept. 12.

Clark Pennington resigned as chief at the end of August to “retire from law enforcement and pursue another opportunity,” according to a news release from the Mecklenburg County town.

Williams worked for CMPD for 28 years, including stints as commander of internal affairs and the special investigations bureau, according to the news release.

He also worked as vice president of enterprise accounts for G4S Secure Solutions, a private security company, the release said.

Williams will remain interim chief until a permanent one is found, the town said.

A graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, Williams retired from CMPD in 2007, according to his LinkedIn profile. He previously served as a public safety officer in Durham.

This story was originally published September 12, 2022 at 5:26 PM.

Kallie Cox

The Charlotte Observer

Kallie Cox covers public safety for The Charlotte Observer. They grew up in Springfield, Illinois and attended school at SIU Carbondale. They reported on police accountability and LGBTQ immigration barriers for the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. And, they previously worked at The Southern Illinoisan before moving to Charlotte. Support my work with a digital subscription