West Point City Council voted unanimously Monday to offer the job of police chief to a native of LaGrange and DeKalb County officer with more than 25 years’ experience in law enforcement.

Final negotiations on salary with Maj. Jeffrey Cato, 51, will be handled by City Manager Ed Moon. Council hopes to have their new chief sworn in before its meeting in April.

It’s been a months-long process for council members, who wrestled for several weeks over the final five candidates, all of whom were tested and recommended by the Georgia Chiefs Association.

Mayor Drew Ferguson IV said he’s pleased with the process the city went through with the association and the candidates the city interviewed.

“We had five solid individuals,” Ferguson said.

The new chief succeeds David Kerr, who retired in December after 23 years with the city, more than 30 in law enforcement.

Cato, a former U.S. Marine, said late Monday he knows he’ll have big shoes to fill.

“I didn’t know Chief Kerr, but I read a lot about him during his retirement,” Cato said. “He obviously is a man well-loved within the city government and the community.”

Cato said he decided to apply for West Point’s top cop because of the opportunities for growth in the area with Kia Motors.

“It’s an opportunity to grow the department and see its future,” he said.

Cato served in the Marines from 1979 to 1983, earning a number of awards and commendations during his service. He joined the DeKalb County Police Department in 1984, was promoted to sergeant in 1992 and commanded the department’s community policing unit. He eventually was promoted to lieutenant and transferred to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department on Jan. 1, 2001, at the request of the public safety director.

Cato earned the rank of major in 2002 and commanded two divisions, field services and administrative services.

He’s a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Southern Police Institute and has received a number of awards, honors and certifications throughout his career.

He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgia State University and a master of public administration from Columbus State University’s command college.

Jennifer Shrader may be reached at jshrader@ lagrangenews.com or at (706) 884-7311, Ext. 236.