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DeKalb committee greets new public-safety director, approves CAD license change

DeKalb County Employee Relations and Public Safety (IRBS) Committee · January 6, 2026

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Summary

The IRBS committee introduced incoming public-safety director Darnell Fulham and approved a change order to its computer-aided-dispatch contract to rescind $26,392.60 and add 50 field-ops licenses (costs for additional licenses described as 'not to exceed $6,000').

Darnell Fulham, the county’s longtime fire chief, was introduced as the incoming director of public safety at the DeKalb County Employee Relations and Public Safety (IRBS) Committee meeting on Jan. 7. Fulham told the committee, “My name is Darnell Fulham. I’ve had the pleasure of serving as the fire chief at DeKalb County for the last 11 years. I am now the incoming director of public safety.” Outgoing public safety director Joseph Jack Lumpkin, who said he served “for approximately the last 8 years,” was honored by commissioners and staff.

The committee also approved a change order to a multi-year computer-aided-dispatch (CAD) contract used by 911 and fire-rescue. Staff said the request would rescind $26,392.60 from a prior enterprise CAD change order and add 50 additional annual field-ops (mobile device) subscription licenses for the department’s CAD platform. Staff characterized the additional license cost as an amount “not to exceed $6,000.”

During discussion, staff explained field-ops enables units to use mobile devices to connect to the CAD system for dispatch and response. No commissioners raised substantive objections; the committee moved, seconded and voted to recommend approval of the change order.

Deputy Chief Melvin Carter was introduced to the committee as the acting chief; Carter said he has served the county for 26 years and is “deeply committed to DeKalb County.” Commissioners welcomed him and thanked Lumpkin for his years of service.

The committee’s actions at the meeting were procedural recommendations to the full Board of Commissioners; final contract execution and personnel actions proceed through the administration’s regular processes.