Foundational Leadership (1891–1905)

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• Jas W. Sloop (1891–1893): The first officer to hold the title of chief.

• Augustus W. Edwards (1893–1894): Succeeded Sloop for a one-year term.

• Edward Lee Hart (1894–1896): Served his first of two non-consecutive terms during the 1890s.

• Thomas M. Eller (1896–1897): Held the position for one year.

• Columbus L. Upchurch (May 1897 – Dec 1897): Served a brief term followed by J.W. Vickers (1897–1898).

• W.M. Bright (May 1900 – Aug 1900): Noted historically as the first officer in the department to die while on duty.

• George W. Upchurch (1904–1905): Led the department during the early years of the town’s formal incorporation (incorporated in 1901). 

• Martin Shatley (1905–1909): Served as chief for four years following the term of George W. Upchurch.

• D.S. Lane (1909–1913): Held the position for four years during his first major tenure.

• N.A. Lesley (1913–1915): Served a two-year term before the return of a former chief.

• E.L. Hart (1915–1918): Returned for another three-year period.

• C.L. Costner (1918–1919): Served as chief for approximately one year.

• Goldston Smith (1919–1920): Held the leadership role as the 1920s began.

• D.S. Lane (1920–1921): Returned for two brief, non-consecutive stints: from January to November 1920, and later from May to August 1921.

• R.T. Pardue (1920–1921): Served between D.S. Lane's two short terms.

• J.V. Bauguss (1921–1924): Led the department for three years during the early 1920s.

• C.M. Caudill (1924–1925): The final chief before Mike Knotts was sworn into the role in January 1925.

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Historic Leadership (Early 1900s–1920s)

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While records for every individual officer since the 1901 incorporation are sparse, the following are key figures from the early era:

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• Mike K. Knotts, Sr. (1925): Sworn in as chief in January 1925 after serving as a policeman since at least 1920. He was killed in the line of duty on September 20, 1925. 

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The following timeline outlines the leadership of the Wagener Police Department (WPD) from the death of Chief Mike Knotts in 1925 through to the beginning of the 21st century. 

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The Post-Knotts Era (1925–1953) Following the tragic death of Chief Mike K. Knotts, Sr. on September 20, 1925, several individuals led the department through the Great Depression and World War II:

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• Frank C. Smith (1925–1931): Served as chief immediately following Knotts.

• C.H. Dancy (May 1931 – June 1931): Served a brief tenure.

• James M. Anderson (1931–1936): Led the department during the mid-1930s.

• John E. Walker (1936–1953): One of the longest-serving chiefs in the department's history, overseeing law enforcement for 17 years.

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Mid-Century Leadership (1953–1984)

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• C.V. Lloyd (July 1953 – December 1953): Served as interim or short-term chief.

• William Genio Walsh (1953–1962): Led the department for nearly a decade during the post-WWII era.

• Burvin "Boonie" Shell (1962–1967): Continued the department's operations through the mid-1960s.

• Kyle Gentry (1967–1978): Served for 11 years, bridging the gap between the civil rights era and the late 1970s.

• David T. Felts (1978–1984): Led the department through the transition into the early 1980s. 

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Pre-Modern Leadership (1984–2010) 

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• George L. "Corkey" Miller (1984–1990): Managed the department during the late 1980s.

• Barry J. Brown (1990–1995): Chief during the early 1990s.

• David A. Pendry (1995–2001): Oversaw operations during the turn of the millennium.

• Randy Rhodes (January 2002 – March 2010): Served for eight years, eventually succeeded by Joe Rankin in April 2010. 

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Modern Leadership (2010–Present)

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The following timeline represents the known succession of chiefs over the last 15 years:

• Jeff Key (Approx. 2011–2013): Served as chief during the early 2010s before eventually moving to lead the Burnettown Police Department in 2015.

• Tom Gray (Retired 2014): Served as chief until his resignation in late 2014.

• Greg Stanford (2014–2019): A former Aiken and North Augusta lieutenant, he was sworn in on December 8, 2014.

• Scott Titus (2019–2023): Appointed in June 2019 with a focus on improving small-town law enforcement.

• Michael Goodwin (March 2023-Retired June 2024): Focused on updating the department to better serve the citizens of Wagener.

• Mark Warchol (2024–2025): Promoted to chief in June 2024.

• Lucas Grant (Interim, Appointed 2025–2026): A former School Resource Officer (SRO), he served as interim chief and later appointed chief from September 19, 2025, until early 2026.

• Jermaine Martin (2026–Present): Unanimously selected interim chief by the town council on January 12, 2026, to stabilize the department after years of leadership turnover. Appointed chief by majority vote of the town council on February 9, 2026.