Public SafetyTuesday, November 3
Art Littlejohn is sworn in as Spartanburg's police chief after nearly 40 years on the force
The Daily Spartanburg team
If you've lived in Spartanburg a while, you probably know the new chief. Art Littlejohn was sworn in Friday, Oct. 30, with outgoing chief Alonzo Thompson giving the oath in a packed room at the downtown library. The city announced the promotion in August after a national search.
“Spartanburg knows Art Littlejohn and Art Littlejohn knows Spartanburg.”
Littlejohn rose from patrol officer to chief over 38 years
- 1988Joins the Spartanburg Police Department
- 2009Makes captain
- 2015Is promoted to major
- 2021Wins the Medal of Honor and Chief's Award of Excellence
- Aug. 2026City announces his promotion to chief
- Oct. 30Is sworn in as chief
Sources: Post and Courier, WSPA 7News
Littlejohn grew up on the Northside, and he went from "Officer Friendly" to major and public information officer. Community policing is "what I'm about," he said, and he plans to strengthen partnerships with schools, businesses, faith communities, nonprofits and neighborhoods. The department isn't "broken," he said.
- Last post: led the patrol services bureau, the department's largest
- 2022: won the Strom Thurmond Award and the Livio A. Beccaccio Award
- Succeeds: Alonzo Thompson, who is retiring
Littlejohn's résumé by the numbers
- 38 years
- at the Spartanburg Police Department, per City Manager Chris Story
- 20+ years
- leading the department's tactical team
- Fewer than 1%
- of officers have completed the FBI National Academy, which he did
Sources: Post and Courier, WSPA 7News
Sources: Post and Courier, WSPA 7News, GoUpstate