The City of Greensboro announces more opportunities for the public to weigh in on the selection of a new Greensboro police chief.
On Sept. 19, the City of Greensboro announced that it is holding three “community input sessions to aid in the search for the next police chief.”
- Saturday, Sept. 24, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Greensboro Central Library, 219 N. Church St.
- Wednesday, Sept. 28, 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Kathleen Clay Edwards Library, 1420 Price Park Dr.
- Wednesday, Sept. 28, 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Ruth Wicker Barber Park Event Center, 1502 Barber Park Dr.
An online community survey is also open through Friday, Sept. 30, to provide information to the consulting group hired to assist the city in its search for a new police chief, Developmental Associates.
In August, Greensboro held three Zoom meetings requesting public input.
Former Greensboro Police Chief Brian James officially announced that he was retiring on April 19 and retired on May 31. On July 1, James took over as the chief of the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill police department.
Hiring the police chief is the responsibility of City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba, who started his job with the City of Greensboro on Feb. 1. The official announcement by James that he was retiring was in April, but that was the announcement to the public – those in city government knew James was leaving long before the official announcement.
But six months after James announced his retirement, the city is still in the process of gathering information about what the community wants in a new chief in order to begin the selection process.
Public safety is one of the most important functions of local government – some would argue the most important. The Greensboro Police Department (GPD) has some issues that need to be addressed. One of those is that the department is short over 100 sworn officers and the vacancy rate continues to rise. Operating the GPD with an interim chief with no end in sight cannot be beneficial to the recruitment efforts.
What people want is a competent and sufficient force, unimpeded by political meddling.
I read recently that the Chicago Bears have moved their home games out of the City. Mebbe Lightfoot can get on here, after she is run out of Chicago.
Oh, as yet another reason to get Lightfoot on here; she has ordered the the Chicago Police can no longer chase a suspect, on foot or by car.
Betting we all have a good idea what will be hired.
I’m sure you can find someone in Charlotte
Don’t bother folks because we all know that “after an extensive national search, the GPD is proud to announce that, (insert current Greensboro or Charlotte employee here) has been selected as our chief. Turns out they were right under our nose all along!”
In fact, I just read this exact announcement in real life for some Greensboro assistant city manager selection or some position along those lines.
Such a waste of time.
Do not waste your time attending Countdown to friend of city manager who will run off more officers. Combined with the worthless council and their BS half measures for “benefits.” Keep circling the drain Greensboro.
I conveyed how to choose the best candidate for police chief two years and it was ignored. And here we are again but this time I won’t partake in making the police force better. There are clear problems within the force that need to be managed before even beginning to search for a leader. THAT should be your priority; not bringing in someone who is bound to fail.
We will be back to the process in another 2 years. If they pick an inside candidate almost all of them can retire within 2. If they go outside it will be a demographic that will use Greensboro as their “gate city”, deal with our s$&? City government for a couple of years, and stepping stone the hell out of here. The chief position here will be a continuous cycle. James announced he was leaving February/March and left in May. It is now almost October and the job has just been posted with all the BS meetings with fake stakeholders ect. That means a new chief next year. A whole year of treading water and attrition.
“Hiring the police chief is the responsibility of City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba, who started his job with the City of Greensboro on Feb. 1.”
That’s a true statement, but you (and others) know full well the city council will have their hands all over this process of filling the vacancy.
The next chief should come from within the ranks. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. If all of the assistant chiefs are not qualified to move into the chief’s position then they are not qualified to be assistant chiefs. It should not be necessary to go all over the country to find a chief.