Greensboro Police Chief Brian James has announced his plans to retire at the end of next month.
According to a press release from the City of Greensboro, James will retire on May 31.
James has been Greensboro police chief for a little over two years, having officially taken over the job on Feb. 1, 2020. James grew up in Greensboro and graduated from Page High School and NC A&T State University before joining the Greensboro Police Department in 1996. He rose through the ranks and was appointed to the position of deputy chief in 2015.
In August 2019, after former Police Chief Wayne Scott announced he was retiring, the city conducted a national search that resulted in 39 applications, and then City Manager David Parrish said he had selected James for the job.
When he was sworn into office James said, “I am humbled and grateful to be the chief of police in the city where I grew up.”
James held his first of many community forums at Peeler Recreation Center and noted that he had learned to play basketball in the gym where they were meeting.
In the press release, City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba said, “Prior to, and since my arrival as City Manager earlier this year, Chief James has been a phenomenal team member. In our regular communication, he demonstrates a unique passion for his job and genuine support for our police officers. His ideas and stellar leadership will be missed. Chief James developed an exceptional team of deputies who are able to continue the vision he charted for the department.”
Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan said, “Our community has benefited from the steadfast leadership of Chief Brian James and his departure will be an enormous loss to our city. He led the department through challenges, such as the 2020 summer protests, a relentless pandemic and record number of vacancies in law enforcement. On behalf of the City Council, we thank Chief James for his dedication and years of exemplary service.”
Deputy Police Chief Teresa Biffle has been selected to serve as interim police chief while the search for a new police chief takes place.
Mandate Mayor should have noted that Chief James was repeatedly denied requests to help recruit enough officers by the sitting council and Mayor. The city council and Mandate Mayor have tied his hands and the actions and reactions to lawsuits, riots, and lack of officers put him in a very tough situation. When those that fund and are supposed to support public safety are more concerned about public drinking areas and relocating homeless populations around their Performance Arts Palace instead of staffing and training police to even a minimum standard it is shameful. Mandate Mayor has squashed all requests for officers to have dedicated police cars in direct opposition to requests from Chief James and previous Chiefs but gas no problem throwing money to non profits run by council members and their cronies.
Brian James is a real Greensboro man, and a good Chief as far as I know. But isn’t it rich for a City Manager from Africa who’s been in Greensboro for mere weeks to commend Chief James? Is there any limit to the presumption and arrogance of Jaiyeoba? What does he know about Greensboro (except that it pays him $6,000 a week)?
City Manager is from Charlotte. I assume you keep calling out he is from Africa as a bigoted spite like most modern conservatives.
And what if that’s the case.
He is not “from Charlotte.” He is from Nigeria and has a degree from the University of Nigeria. He lived and worked in Charlotte and a few other cities. If I recall correctly he started working here February 1. So he has been working for 2.5 months and the chief is “retiring.” I will begin the countdown for the next chief to be from one of the cities that the city manager has worked. Quit calling anyone that is conservative a bigot. It is a fact that you can find easily online. I seriously doubt the next chief will be from GPD.
And do not even think about hiring a former captain who went to Salisbury to become a “deputy chief.” He was running from a scandal then and was under investigation for the same thing in Madison, WI. He was “cleared” of that one.
The present city manager, from all reports that are easily googled, is not only from Africa but he is not even a US citizen. One would think that a major requirement for a government job would be at least a citizen. Only Greensboro.
Greensboro City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba is a native of Nigeria and an American citizen.
Did you take lessons on how to fail as a human being? Because that is most trivial non-complaint complaint I’ve ever read.
Go back to Jersey
All but one of that “incredible team of deputies” is retiring within the next 12 months. I don’t see them continuing much of anything for very long. I imagine we will keep sailing down that path of 100+ vacancies with no help on the horizon.
A whole 2 years as chief huh? Something must have happened, but what?
Mayor Vaughan said in the Greensboro newspaper that no one “asked him to leave.” I thought that was a strange comment.
Standard question when some retires unexpectedly is “where they pushed to retire”. Not complicated.
Neither is spelling the word “were”, but you managed to mess that up.
Vaughan protests too much. At the minimum (as stated by Marikay in reference to micromanaging) she did not lead the council to go through the appropriate chain and not harass department heads. We all know who wanted all certain children to be able to apply for the jobs program.
There comes a point in everyone’s life (especially if they have the time in to retire) that the person says “screw it, I am out.” It is not worth it when you can be retired or find another job.
Want real meaningful change? If it currently sits on a Council, or Board – vote it to the curb in 2022. The current Chief saw the writing on the wall. End the maddening incompetence – use your vote wisely in 2022!
Kudos to Chief James. Now, as far as a replacement? Look no further than in the ranks of the GPD. I am confident that the city council can find someone within the existing command staff to step up as chief. I see no need to go to all that expense going all over the country looking for a chief.
Do not kid yourself. Someone will come from one of the previous cities that the new city manager has worked.
Still waiting for one of the mayoral candidates to put in WRITING their plans for the police department. Is it more pay (there was a rumored pay raise for police), take home cars (they have had their chance), or anything that would recruit or keep an officer once they are trained for another agency (see little GPD-Graham PD)? Are you listening Nancy or Justin? Both of you have been on council for years and have not done one thing to help the slide. But keep giving money away to everyone that has their hand out.
The retirements will keep coming. Most officers count days like they are in jail.
Retire after 2 years? Must be damn good benefits! Situation smells funny. Can only imagine what council will drag in as a replacement. Check out your current city mgr.
I think he did a good job with what he was given, clearly the mayor and council had a different agenda. I can understand his wanting to retire.
Wonder how many years (perhaps 2) you have to be Chief before you qualify for full retirement benefits from the city?
Flint, He has been with GPD since 1996, and served as Chief just over 2 years.
Another chief leaving due a city council who does not are about the citizens of Greensboro, but deeply concerned about our tax money to give to programs that only help a few, not all the citizens. Good luck Chief with your new position, I am confident you will be well received by an agency that will support you and your department. Wake up Eastside! Your council has failed you again! Chief trying to get programs start to assist the young and denied by your ignorant, uneducated, “ I am confused” city council and Mayor.
Until the City Council and Mayor let’s the chief and officers do their job it’s only going to get worse. Good luck GPD
Queen Nancy and her Court should present Chief James with a gold key to the handcuffs they continually placed on him.
Chief James did an admirable job despite the efforts of many in City Government. He will be sorely missed.
Greensboro will never get a good Police Chief that will stay very long. The Mayor runs the show and the Police Chiefs normally have good ethics. I wouldn’t break my ethical code just to appease Nancy. She has got to go!
Amazing not many years ago, in Bledsoe’s papers, which you rhino published, burned James to the ground for his dirty dealings with Hinson , known criminals and prostitutes. But now people are gushing all over him because he is a hometown guy. I can remember when he was on the ropes with the city. he did nothing to improve any working conditions for officers and ruined careers of officers, over the same thing he was accused of. Greensboro will never have a good chief, everyone who gets hired has baggage or skeletons.
Bring back David Wray. The city knows his baggage since the former council created it.
You must have been one of the bobbleheads. Got your running shorts ready?
https://www.wfmynews2.com/article/news/local/police-officers-sue-rhinoceros-times/83-402327911
Flint and Jv – You do not get to retire early with full benefits from the City based on your position.
Unfortunately, the current Council has their own idea of how a police department should be run and this ends up tying the hands of the Chief and officers. All the recent complaints about citizens seeing cars with expired tags, broken tail lights, loud mufflers, etc.; thank your current council. Before Chief James, Council said it was racist to stop people for improper equipment, expired tags, etc., because it targeted minorities. Chief Scott had to send out a mandate to officers to not stop cars for such violations.
Chief James seems like a genuine man who wants to do the right thing for his community. Here we have a good man who grew up in the community. Now he is at the top of his game is the Chief of Police. He comes from the black community, and he knows their struggles and he wants to help. But, our City Council has his hands tied with all this wokeness mess. He looks far to young to retire. I think he is fed up with the Council’s hold on him. Sad for the city. Now watch them go do some crazy nation wide search and bring in someone who has minimum law enforcement experience but lots of social correctness ideas. We need to vote the bums out!