Biden taps Savannah Police Chief as nominee for U.S. Marshal

President Biden announced last week that Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter Jr. is among his nine nominees to the U.S. Marshals Service. If chosen, Minter would serve as a U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Georgia.

The U.S. Marshals Service was the first federal law enforcement agency in the United States and has served the country since 1789, often in unseen but critical ways. The Marshals Service is the enforcement arm of the federal courts and is involved in virtually every federal law enforcement initiative.  

The duties of the U.S. Marshals Service include protecting the federal judiciary, apprehending federal fugitives, managing and selling seized assets acquired by criminals through illegal activities, housing and transporting federal prisoners, and operating the Witness Security Program.

Presidentially appointed U.S. marshals – one for each federal judicial district – direct the activities of 94 districts.  Approximately 5,385 employees, both operational and administrative, are the backbone of the agency.  

“I am, of course, honored to be nominated for this position,” said Minter in a prepared statement. “Serving as the Chief of Police for Savannah Police Department has been, and continues to be, one of the best and most rewarding experiences in my policing career.” 

Minter’s statement acknowledged that the “confirmation process is never a certainty.” And, with the state of political discourse these days, slow. It is unclear how long his confirmation process will take. 

According to the U.S. Marshals’ careers and qualifications web page, nominees “must pass an initial Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) and successfully pass periodic reinvestigations.”

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said Minter will remain police chief while Biden makes his choice. “He’s the chief as long as it mutually works for us,” Johnson said, adding, “It means that Savannah is being viewed through a national lens and it’s exciting just to be considered for an opportunity like that, so I’m quite happy for him.” 

On Aug. 27, 2018, Minter was appointed as the Chief of Police for Savannah. Before that, he served as police chief for the Peoria, Arizona, police department for more than 7 years and the chief in Denton, Texas, from 2007 to 2011.