City of Aragon hires Julie Collins to serve as the new chief

The Aragon Police Department has a new leader at the helm of a ship that has been through the rocks and shoals in recent years, with hopes of a new beginning forward heading into 2023.

Chief Terry Wheeler served his final day in duty and new chief Julie Collins was sworn into duty to take over duties for her first day on the job.

Wheeler said Collins was chosen among several qualified candidates who applied for the job, but rated her past experience and the top choice among all those who sought to take over as chief of the department.

Collins, 52, is a Polk County resident was previously retired after decades of past service in law enforcement. She recently decided to put the uniform back on to serve in a part time role with the Euharlee Police Department before she applied to serve as Aragon’s chief.

Wheeler said she was the most experienced candidate for the job after spending her first eight years in law enforcement as a radio operator with the Georgia State Patrol, then additional five years with the Villa Rica Police Department as an officer, and ultimately retiring as a Lieutenant after 17 years with the Powder Springs Police Department.

The outgoing chief said that “Today is a fresh start” with the swearing in of Collins, and that she was looking forward to getting right to work in the department.

The hiring process turned around quickly as Wheeler, who previously served as the Municipal Court Judge for the City of Aragon, hung up his robes as he was getting ready to retire and took on an interim role of chief in recent weeks.

Wheeler previously had a career in public safety and law enforcement before retiring decades ago, then serving for more than two decades as judge for the local court.