The surprising announcement that Greensboro Police Chief Brian James was retiring at the end of next month has reverberated throughout the community.
James grew up in northeast Greensboro and had widespread support across the city.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan said, “Brian has been police chief almost two-and-a-half years and those were probably the most turbulent two-and-a-half years in Greensboro’s history.”
Vaughan added, “I was disappointed. I think he has done great things for the City of Greensboro and I was hoping we’d have him for five years at least.”
Vaughan noted that James came in as a change agent and that sometimes change agents don’t stay in a job long.
Councilmember Marikay Abuzuaiter had a different take on why James made the decision to retire. She said, “I don’t think he felt supported. You had councilmembers trying to tell him what to do. He is not our employee to berate and tell him everything he is doing is wrong.”
Under the council-manager form of government, the police chief is hired by and reports to the city manager, not the City Council. Ideally, if councilmembers had complaints about the police chief they should be aired with the city manager.
Abuzuaiter said, “I’ve observed Brian has not been supported by certain councilmembers.”
She added, “At the retreat, everybody was going after him about his youth job initiative.”
Abuzuaiter also said that City Manager Tai Jaiyeoba supported James “100 percent”
“I am heartbroken. I am heartbroken. He is such a good guy and where are we going to find someone like him, raised in Greensboro that knows Greensboro so well. Where are we going to find somebody like that? We’re not.”
James grew up in northeast Greensboro, graduated from Page High School and NC A&T State University and has been with the Greensboro Police Department since 1996.
Both Vaughan and Abuzuaiter praised James for the job he has done with the mental health response team, taking an initiative that had major problems and turning it into a program that has become a model for other police departments.
Most turbulent times in Greensboro history? Compared to what, the sit-ins? The Klan murders of CWP activists? The black book scandal? I would say turbulent, but not that turbulent. And I’m saying that as a relative newcomer to this town. The only real problem during his term was a lack of support from the mayor an council.
Since you say you’re a relative newcomer the klan didn’t murder anyone both sides had guns and were shooting at each other take the time to do a little research the story is a lot broader than a small blog on a postcard. The so called black book scandal was nothing more than a made up racist effort by a certain group of officers to get rid of Chief Wray. The true scandal was the way it was handled by the city council and city manager Mitch johnson,who was fired a short time later. The way is was handled was and still is the true scandal
Then why was it in a deputy chief’s trunk? Why did all those command staff members retire or resign?
I agree about 1979 though.
Gsoman is right on target. The communists attacked the klan members first after inviting them to a Death to the Klan rally for weeks prior to the incident. The FBI investigation revealed that the communists fired the first shot. As far as replacing James, there should be a qualified candidate in the ranks of the assistant chiefs. If they are qualified as assistants they should be qualified enough to step up. Why waste tax payers money to go to New York or California to find a chief?
Why are you dismayed? You forced him out due to your lack of support! One can only take so much when constantly being beaten down requesting your support time and time again with no support from ANY OF THE COUNCIL.
You would not let Chief James run his agency as he needed to keep crime down. You tied his and his departments hands. You created and kept a hostile work environment. Wonder why so many are leaving?
Dismayed, no, you and the rest of this pitfall, gut less, ignorant, racist, spineless, non- supportive council should be ashamed!
Yup, praise for that horse comes after it left the barn.
One of our best yet one that politicians could never appreciate.
For once I agree with Nancy and Marikay. This council can run anyone off. They are directly responsible for the attrition and inability to recruit for GPD. But guess what? Either one of them can put a motion on the table for take home cars and salaries that are equal or better than other NC agencies. Do it and let the others vote it down.
One change we can make is to remove the anti-police faction on this Council led by Tammi Thurm. I have the endorsement of the 600 member Greensboro Police Officers Association, four former GPD police chiefs, and former GC Sheriff BJ Barnes. I’m Tony Wilkins and I’m running on a platform to improve our public safety.
Dismayed disappointed? WHY? You people gave this man no support, refused to even TRY to compete for skilled competent Officers. You certainly had lots of money for your pet projects but not what it takes to get him the help he needs and begged for. Unfortunately we are all going to have to live with the fall out. The election can’t come soon enough for Me.
Mandate Mayor forces out another chief with unreasonable mandates and zero support attracting or retaining police officers. Also constant micromanagement from a city council that should have zero direction over anyone except the city manager and lawyers.
The council is going to spend 50-60% of the federal dollars on parks, walking trails, etc., even though they provided citizens the option to vote on where the money would be spent. Did they take the public’s recommendations? Of courst not! Oh yes, let’s not foget the Yvonne and her friends will STILL be getting city and federal funds for their pet projects, called 501(C)3.
Want to increase your wealth? Get on the council and partner with other members of the council to create some more non-profits, who in turn will support the grifters on the council and their children and friends by giving them employment. See how this works?