John Coffelt, Editor

Manchester Police Chief Bill Sipe officially announced his retirement during the Nov. 10 Safety Committee Meeting. 

Sipe will begin taking on a lighter schedule with the department beginning Tuesday but will work with the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in the transition.

Mayor Joey Hobbs said he will name Assistant Chief Adam Floied as Interim Chief. Sipe and his wife, Tina, were named Grand Marshals of the Manchester Christmas Parade.  

“I am truly appreciative of the time I’ve had with the department,” Sipe said. “The last few years have been truly rewarding.”

Sipe has served three years as chief, assuming the position from the rank of major in October of 2022.

He has worked continuously for the Manchester Police since his hiring on Oct. 27 1982, even staying with the department part time as he worked briefly at Arnold Air Force Base soon after graduating from the Nashville Police Academy in 1984.

His upbringing is what Sipe credits as being an influence on his decision to become a police officer.

“As a kid, we always played cop and robber games,” Sipe recalled. “My dad was a strict disciplinarian. That probably contributed to some of it.” 

“(Police work) gives you the opportunity to serve your fellow man. To serve the people of Manchester over the years has been very rewarding to me,” Sipe added.  

After obtaining the title of shift captain, Sipe eventually transferred to investigations in 2001. He became Manchester’s first-ever major, a position he held for about 10 years before being promoted to chief.

“I’ve always looked to the chief in the department to provide the leadership in my career,” explained Sipe. “To be followed by these officers has always been very important to me. I want the perception of our department to be one of prestige, with integrity, transparency and honesty.”    

Sipe noted that he appreciates the relationship he’s had with the board and values how the department has been able to gain ground with equipment, training and the officers he has been able to hire.

He also enthused that retirement will allow him to spend more time with his loved ones.

“My wife has been on me for some time about retiring. Sometimes it’s hard to balance career and family life. It is very demanding as chief. We are looking forward to spending a lot of family time together, doing some traveling and spending some time with our grandchildren,” he said.

“It’s time to turn that page to the next chapter in our lives.”

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.