Macon Police Chief Mike Burns has announced his retirement effective at the end of the month. And now the Macon PD is faced with finding an interim to fill the position.

Since the Bibb County Sheriff and the Macon Police Department’s chief positions will eventually be merged into one as part of the upcoming consolidation, why not do it now?

Recently Macon Mayor Robert Reichert asked Bibb County’s sheriff to take over the city’s police force before consolidation takes effect in January. Sheriff David Davis refused.

But in turning down the opportunity, Davis reasoned things could get complicated.

"The Macon police department and the Bibb County Sheriff’s office are two separate entities with each having its own policies and procedures governing its own agency. If I were interim chief of police and an officer went outside of policy, who’s policy would I adjudicate him under, the Sheriff’s office policy or police department policy?"

There is no official word on who will be the interim police chief over the Macon PD yet.