COLUMBUS, Ind. — Columbus Police Deputy Chief Steve Norman has been appointed the new Columbus Police Chief effective April 2.
Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon made the announcement Friday, saying Norman’s “dedication to serving our community, his integrity and his leadership skills make him the perfect fit for this role. I have no doubt that under Chief Norman’s guidance, the Columbus Police Department will continue to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and work tirelessly to ensure the safety and well being of our residents.
Norman is a 20-year veteran of the department, beginning as a patrolman in 1994 and serving in a variety of supervisory leadership roles including a narcotics detective, public information officer, uniform lieutenant, uniform captain and deputy chief over the past 25 years. He was appointed as deputy chief by current Chief Michael Richardson in January 2020.
Richardson is retiring from the department in June and was recently appointed as the city’s new Director of Security and Risk, a new city position established by Ferdon.
The Columbus Police chief oversees daily activities of 85 police officers and multiple support staff in the department. The chief also collaborates with the mayor, Columbus City Council, Board of Public Works and Safety, city departments and a range of public and private organizations and citizen groups.
Ferdon thanked the interview committee which included city leaders and community leaders who assisted in making the decision to promote Norman to chief.
Norman is a 1992 graduate of Ball State University with a bachelor of science in criminal justice and criminology. He has multiple state mandated certifications earned throughout his career. He is a lifelong resident of Bartholomew County, married to his wife Janae, and they have three children.
“I am committed to developing the future leaders of this department,” Norman said. “I am determined to make the Columbus Police Department, Columbus, Indiana and Bartholomew County the very best that it can be,” he said.
Norman has named Matt Martindale as the new deputy chief of the department.
Martindale began his career in law enforcement in 2012 after graduating from Indiana University’s Police Academy. He received a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice in 2013.
A native of South Bend, Martindale began working for the Columbus Police Department in 2014. While serving as a patrol officer for four years, he served as a field training officer and with the DARE program. He also joined the department’s bomb squad and currently serves as its commander.
In 2018, Martindale was assigned as a detective in the criminal investigations division and was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2019.
Norman’s swearing in ceremony will be April 2 at the Board of Public Works meeting at Columbus City Hall.
