The City of Lakeland held a swearing-in ceremony for Police Chief Larry Giddens Monday afternoon.
Giddens was named acting chief in January 2014 after the resignation of former police chief Lisa Womack. He was selected as the permanent police chief in December.
When Giddens took command of the Lakeland Police Department last year, the agency had been mired in scandals that included officers accused of sexual misconduct.
Giddens said Monday that his first goal as chief was to restore the public's confidence in the department and the confidence of his own officers.
"Some stability, some continuity, and let them know things are going to be OK and we are going to move forward," he said.
Giddens is getting high marks from Pastor Edgard Pickett for his job performance.
"I really think Chief Giddens has done an outstanding job," said Pickett.
Pickett believes Giddens has done a good job of communicating crime and police issues to community leaders.
"I interact with a lot of people in the community, that I get the correct information before it goes out in the community," he said.
"It's turned 180 degrees," said State Attorney Jerry Hill. Hill had been a fierce critic of Womack.
Hill said communications and other issues between LPD and his agency have improved.
"It's now a team effort like it always should have been, but wasn't," said Hill.
Giddens is hoping for continued high marks.
"The buck stops here," he said, "and I have got to meet the expectations not only of the community of the city administration, commissioners but also the men and women that work here."