FORT VALLEY -- Long-term Fort Valley police detective Lawrence Spurgeon has been selected as the city’s new public safety director.

Spurgeon, 40, said he was appointed Thursday night by mayor and council.

“I feel honored that the council would bestow that kind of responsibility on me,” said Spurgeon, who previously served as the head of detectives.

Spurgeon has been serving as acting public safety director since John David Anderson was fired from the position March 15 following an investigation into a sexual harassment complaint made against him by a female police officer.

In City Administrator Martha McAfee’s recommendation to fire Anderson, she said many of the woman’s claims could not be substantiated, but Anderson’s actions fell “well below the acceptable level of conduct for his level of command.”

Anderson appealed, but mayor and council upheld the termination.

Spurgeon said he expects a smooth transition because of the policies and procedures already in place. He will be over both police and fire. His annual salary as public safety director is about $60,500, he said.

Spurgeon initially interned with the police department from May to August 1995.

He started full time in January 1996 on patrol and was promoted to detective in 1997. He remained a detective, with steady promotions to sergeant in 1998, to lieutenant in 2001, to captain in 2006, and to major in 2008.

He previously applied for chief of police in 2003 and 2005.

“I just feel like everything has its season,” Spurgeon said.

Information from Telegraph archives was used in this report.