The Greensboro City Council meeting on Tuesday, April 7, turned into a pointed public airing of frustration over the city’s decision to hire a new police chief – with speakers from the floor questioning everything from transparency to leadership philosophy, and city leaders pushing back that the process was both legal and deliberate.

By the time public comment wrapped up, it was clear that the hiring of Kamran Afzal – announced just days earlier – had struck a nerve not just in the council chamber but across the broader Greensboro community, including on social media and in local media coverage.

One speaker, a woman named Latoya, captured much of the frustration expressed that night. She told councilmembers that the hiring process felt closed off and disconnected from the community.

“The hiring process – it was more so a closed session, no community input,” she said, adding that decisions like promotions – whether in policing or elsewhere – should be based on qualifications, not personal factors.

The speaker also raised broader concerns about policing in general, saying there has been “no police accountability” in situations she and others have witnessed, and that for many residents, trust remains an issue.

Her comments echoed concerns raised by others both at the meeting and in the days leading up to it – including criticism that the city didn’t do enough to consider internal candidates, didn’t allow any public vetting of the finalists, and may have moved too quickly once Afzal’s hiring became public.

Those criticisms have been building since the hiring was first reported – with some residents questioning incidents during Afzal’s tenure in Dayton, others asking why Greensboro didn’t promote from within, and still others raising concerns about long-term leadership in the position given Afzal’s late stage in his career.

But if the public comment portion of the meeting reflected frustration, the response from Greensboro City Manager Trey Davis made clear that he is in no way backing away from the decision.

Davis, who has more than two decades of law enforcement experience – including 17 years with the Greensboro Police Department – acknowledged the intensity of the reaction but defended both the process and the outcome.

“It’s an understatement to say that there are strong opinions, strong feelings and strong emotions about this decision,” Davis said at the April 7 meeting after the speakers from the floor had their say.

He emphasized that he respects those opinions and sees the level of public engagement as a positive sign for the city – even as he stood firmly by the hiring.

“I respect all of the opinions, I respect all of the emotions,” Davis said. “And I think it’s much appreciated to show the engagement from the community here for the city.”

Davis also addressed one of the central criticisms directly: the idea that the hiring process lacked community input.

Davis said that’s simply not the case.

“This decision was not rushed – it was deliberate – and it was a month-long national search,” he said.

He noted that the city held five separate public input sessions, where residents were able to weigh in on what qualities they wanted to see in the next police chief.

“We engaged the community in a meaningful way,” Davis stated, adding that he personally attended several of those sessions in order to hear feedback firsthand.

That feedback, he added, helped shape the leadership profile used to evaluate candidates.

“During those sessions we did hear what the community had to say very clearly – that Greensboro wanted a leader who could enhance safety, who could build trust and who could modernize policing,” Davis told those at the meeting.

Ultimately, Davis said, Afzal stood out.

“He was the most qualified candidate after reviewing many factors,” he said, citing community input, professional experience and alignment with the city’s needs.

Davis also pushed back on calls for a more public finalist process, noting that such approaches aren’t standard in every search.

“All police chief processes are not cookie cutter,” Davis said. “There may be times that we have those — there may not be times.”

He added that protecting the integrity of candidates is also a factor in determining how public the process should be.

At the core of Davis’ statement was a reminder of where the authority for the decision lies.

“Pursuant to state law, the city manager has the authority to hire all city employees, which includes the police chief,” he told those who had spoken and other critics who might have been watching on TV or livestreaming the meeting.

And he made clear that while the process included input from the community, the final decision was his – and it was one he believes was made carefully and appropriately.

“I need to make sure that people understand this decision is not made or taken lightly,” Davis stated. “It is one that I approached with both professional experience and with deep knowledge of this community.”

Still, Davis acknowledged that the concerns being raised won’t go away overnight.

“I recognize that any leadership change brings questions,” he said, adding that the community’s passion, while critical, is “healthy.”

Looking ahead, Davis also said the new chief will be expected to engage directly with residents and be held accountable.

“He will be expected to engage our community from day one,” Davis said. “He will be held accountable for his performance, transparency and the results that we are requiring.”

After Davis finished speaking, Greensboro Mayor Marikay Abuzuaiter reinforced the same basic message: The decision has been made and it’s not going to change.

“The hiring and the process – the police chief is solely at the discretion of the city manager,” she said.

Abuzuaiter emphasized that the City Council supported Davis in making that decision and she said he acted within the bounds of the law.

“He followed it legally to the tee,” she said.

At the same time, she acknowledged that there was some frustration in the room – and tried to strike a conciliatory tone.

“I respect everyone who spoke tonight,” Abuzuaiter said. “I listened to everyone, and I took notes.”

But she also made it clear that calls to reverse the decision won’t succeed.

“That decision is made, and I don’t believe that is a decision that is going to be rescinded,” she said.

Instead, Abuzuaiter urged residents to give the new chief an opportunity to prove himself.

“I just hope that we will give the man a chance,” she told those at the meeting.

That suggestion – to move forward rather than revisit the decision – may prove to be easier said than done.

The meeting itself grew tense at times, with interruptions from the audience and at least one moment where it appeared a heckler on the matter might be removed from the chamber.

Community organizers have already indicated they plan to continue pushing back, including holding additional events and forums to discuss the hire.

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