Branson hires new Police chief

Photo provided by city of Branson

Jeff Matthews

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Branson hired a new Police chief after the department’s former leader took over as city administrator.

Jeff Matthews succeeds Stan Dobbins, who continued to serve as the Branson Police Department chief in addition to his city administrator duties. Dobbins replaced Bill Malinen, who was fired in May 2017.

Matthews is scheduled to start by mid-April. He’s transitioning from his current role as deputy chief of the Arlington Police Department in Texas, according to a news release.

“I’m confident Matthews is the right fit for Branson,” Dobbins said in the release. “He has shown strong leadership and has a proven track record in quality services to a diverse community.

“He has strong support from both rank and file and the command staff within the Arlington Police Department, and I feel he will continue to move the Branson department forward in its quest for excellence.”

As chief of the Branson Police Department, Matthews will be in charge of law enforcement, criminal investigations, safety and risk management, support functions and administration. He’ll report directly to Dobbins and oversee 48 officers and 66 total employees in the department, said Branson spokeswoman Melody Pettit.

“As a department, we will continue to partner with the community to strengthen our community policing initiatives, reduce crime and effectively address community concerns,” Matthews said in the release.

Pettit said Matthews’ salary has not been finalized. The salary range for the position is $73,591 to $110,429, she said.