Tyler Whisenant assumed his role as the new chief of the Maiden Police Department on Monday.
Whisenant was joined by his wife, Kelli, and their daughters, Twyla and Mila, as he took an oath to serve the town of Maiden during a town council meeting.
Whisenant, 37, said he comes from a family of law enforcement officers. His dad, Steve Whisenant, was the Burke County sheriff until he retired in 2022. Tyler Whisenant has served as a law officer for 15 years.
鈥淢y dad was law enforcement for over 40 years. So, I grew up in it,鈥� Whisenant said. 鈥淚 started with Burke County, and then my dad became the sheriff there. So, I went to Catawba County (Sheriff鈥檚 Office), worked there for six years, and I came to Maiden in 2017.鈥� Whisenant鈥檚 salary is $111,000.
When Whisenant came to the Maiden Police Department, he said his one career goal was to become a police chief.
鈥淲hen I came (to Maiden), I actually sat down with Chief (Tracy) Ledford,鈥� Whisenant said. 鈥淗e said, 鈥榃hat鈥檚 your goal?鈥� And I said, 鈥業 want to be a police chief.鈥� He said, 鈥楢ll right, this is what we鈥檙e going to have to do.鈥� I鈥檝e been fortunate to work my way up with their (the department鈥檚) support. It鈥檚 been good.鈥�
Ledford was the Maiden police chief for 14 years before taking a job as the town manager in November. Whisenant stepped in as interim police chief during the transition.
鈥�(Town) managers will face a lot of hard decisions. This is just not one of those,鈥� Ledford said about Whisenant鈥檚 promotion.
Whisenant said he looks for sincerity in recruits.
鈥淭he saying we have here (at the Maiden Police Department) is, 鈥榊ou can鈥檛 police your community until you know your community,鈥欌�� Whisenant said. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e going into this job, make sure you鈥檙e going into it to make that difference. And by that difference, I mean, build those relationships. You may be the only positive person someone sees. If you continue to be that positive person, then you know you can make that difference.鈥�
During his free time, Whisenant said he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters. He said he likes surf fishing, traveling, hiking and going to the beach.
鈥淎nything we (my family) can do together is what I focus on,鈥� Whisenant said.
Whisenant said he couldn鈥檛 have been successful without a strong support system of friends, family and mentors. Many of them were present at the meeting on Monday to congratulate him. The Maiden Town Council room was filled with police chiefs, sheriffs, officers and lawyers for Whisenant鈥檚 swearing-in ceremony.
Whisenant said he feels successful when he sees others succeeding. 鈥淚f somebody that you are mentoring or supervising is getting better than you, then that speaks success,鈥� Whisenant said.