Donnie “Donnell” Tenner Sr., 49, has been named the next chief of police in Charleston.
Charleston Mayor Sedrick Smith said Tenner’s unanimous hiring by the city’s Board of Commissioners took place in special session on Monday, Sept. 18.
Officials have not disclosed who made the motion and second to hire Tenner, and the official minutes from the Sept. 18 meeting will not be available for public viewing until they are approved at the city’s next board meeting on Oct. 3, according to Charleston City Clerk Ana Ealy.
Smith said Tenner will begin his duties with the city’s police department on Oct. 1.
According to his Facebook profile, Tenner has been working for the Grenada Police Department. The website of the Grenada County Sheriff’s Office also lists Tenner as a certified reserve deputy for that law enforcement agency.
Tenner is a native of Charleston and previously served as a patrolman on the city’s police force.
He also is a former teacher and assistant coach in the East Tallahatchie School District.
He will fill the position left vacant by the city board’s recent firing of police chief Luther Folson Jr., 46, of Water Valley. Folson had ascended to the top cop post on Jan. 1, after the retirement of longtime chief John Page.
After Folson’s termination, Tenner had been publicly rumored to be the leading candidate to replace him.
