Deputy Chief Steve Norman Appointed Columbus Chief of Police

Columbus Mayor Mary Ferdon announced Friday that Deputy Chief Steve
Norman, has been appointed the next Chief of Police for the Columbus Police
Department (CPD).

Norman will officially take office on Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024, following
his swearing-in ceremony at the Board of Public Works and Safety meeting at
Columbus City Hall.

“I am pleased to announce the appointment of our next Chief of Police. His dedication to
serving our community, his integrity, and his leadership skills make him the perfect fit for
this role.” Mayor Ferdon continued, “I have no doubt that under Chief Norman’s
guidance, the Columbus Police Department will continue to uphold the highest
standards of professionalism and work tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of
all our residents.”

A 29-year veteran of the Columbus Police Department, Norman began as a patrolman
in 1994 and has served in a variety of supervisory leadership roles including a narcotics
detective, public information officer, uniform lieutenant, uniform captain, and deputy
chief over the last 25 years. He was appointed as deputy chief by Chief Mike
Richardson in January of 2020, whom will retire from CPD at the start of June 2024 and
was recently appointed Director of Security and Risk for the city of Columbus.
The chief of police oversees the daily activities of the 85 police officers and multiple
support staff in the Columbus Police Department. In addition to this role, the chief also
collaborates closely with the Mayor, the Common Council, Board of Public Works and
Safety, various city departments, and a range of public and private organizations and
citizen groups.

Mayor Ferdon noted, “I would like to thank the interview committee which included leaders from within the City and community who dedicated their time to make to assist in the important decision”.

Norman is a 1992 graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in
Criminal Justice and Criminology. He has held multiple state mandated certifications
throughout his career. He is a lifelong resident of Bartholomew County and resides with
his wife, Janae, and their three children.

“I am committed to developing the future leaders of this department. I am determined to
make the Columbus Police Department, Columbus, Indiana, and Bartholomew County
the very best that it can be,” stated Norman.

In his first move, Norman appointed Matt Martindale to be Deputy Chief of the department.
Martindale’s career in policing began in 2012 after graduating from the Indiana
University Police Academy. He continued on, receiving a Bachelor’s of Science in
Criminal Justice in 2013. A native of South Bend, Martindale began working for the
Columbus Police Department in 2014 and moved to Columbus at that time. While
serving as a patrol officer for 4 years, he became involved as a field training officer and
with the DARE program. He also joined the department’s bomb squad and currently
serves as the commander. In 2018, Martindale was assigned as a detective in the
criminal investigations division and was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2019.