A veteran Mount Airy officer has been appointed to lead the city police department’s detective unit.

Paul Barker was promoted to the rank of lieutenant as part of his new role in heading the Criminal Investigation Division of the Mount Airy Police Department.

Barker has been a member of the city force for nearly 17 years, according to Police Chief Dale Watson. “He started out as a patrol officer and worked his way up through the ranks to the Criminal Investigation Division,” Watson said of Barker.

His new role involves supervising major criminal investigations and narcotics cases. The division has five people, including Barker.

He filled the vacancy caused by the promotion during the fall of another former detective, Alan Freeman, to the police department’s administrative staff.

That position remained open until Barker’s recent promotion, and the Criminal Investigation Division still has one detective vacancy yet to be filled, the chief said.

Barker, who is around 40, has spent his entire law enforcement career with the Mount Airy Police Department. He completed Basic Law Enforcement Training at Surry Community College and also earned two associate degrees, Watson added.

“He has a great deal of work experience and leadership skills,” the chief said.

“I have a lot of confidence in his abilities.”

Before his promotion to head of the unit, Barker served as a detective in the Criminal Investigation Division.

Contact Tom Joyce at tjoyce@mtairynews.com or at 719-1924.