A New GPD Chief

It's Miller time.

Comments

[Doc Alexander]

And it's a white male. This should keep Cardes Brown and the rest of the race hucksters dancing on the head of a pin for the next few years.

[Joe Guarino]

Yes, Doc, unfortunately soon-to-be-Chief Miller is going to be a target right out of the starting gate.

I hope that he is tough, and that he does the right thing consistently. And if he is that kind of guy, I hope he is supported by the city manager and the city council. I hope they do not become cowards when it is necessary to support him.

[jaycee]

Of the two candidates, Miller was the obvious choice given the problems with Womack's work history.

[Jack Hart]

I commend the City Manager on this choice!
From what I have read Chief Miller is good enough to be making the pulpit forum race hucksters cringe! (And that's a GREAT thing!)
PS...would you love to be hinson right now?LOL

[Joe Guarino]

I have to admit, Jaycee, that I was probably favoring Miller, but the problem is that we know so little about both. I like especially his military background, and hope it will serve him well. I don't like the fact that he is coming from a nearby metro area-- I would have preferred someone from points farther away.

If he can restore the GPD to a quasi-military culture, centered on its true mission, it would be a major achievement. Right now, it is a hub of entitlement and aggrievement. The entire police force needs to get focused on the main mission of the department-- fighting and reducing crime. If he can make that happen, it would be historic.

But I feel a bit like Forrest Gump-- not knowing what we are going to get. If Miller got good reviews from the panels Rashad Young convened, that could somehow be a bad sign. But the Pulpit Forum apparently did not want him, so that is potentially a good sign.

Jack, Hinson has heretofore been untouchable. It will be interesting to see if the new chief will be permitted to select his own command staff, instead of being stuck with some of those who currently hold command-level positions.

[Ken Hill]

My instinct says that this is the man for the job. We'll see.

[Joe Guarino]

Ken, I hope your instinct is right. Again, even if his inclinations are good, he needs to be permitted-- indeed, unleashed-- to do his job by the city manager and the city council.

[william hill]

Joe:I posted on here the other night that what I had heard about both candidate concerned me, but that I hoped the information was wrong. I stand by it - I hope the information was wrong. Let's all hope that this chief will lead the agency - not by mandate, but by actions. Some may view this as a scary job given the politics, but if he leads by example and sets clear standards for ALL ranks, he already has won over 95% of the agency. Isn't the bottom line here that he leads so that his officers follow, and those who won't or can't go elsewhere? I say leave the politics to Council and let's give him a fair chance. There are some darn fine officers there who will jump in right behind him. If he ticks off certain groups who are only satisfied when they can hold a press conference about nothing and whom want us all to believe there is some vast conspiracy to oppress them - GOOD.

[wayne Stutts]

I still wonder if James Hinson will be a captain tomorrow?

[Ken Hill]

Miller's breadth and depth of experience may be greater than some realize. I have not recently checked the facts, but do recall that many years ago most of the deputy sheriff functions of Mecklenburg were combined with the Charlotte police dept. The reasoning was that officers of both departments were constantly crossing paths, and in some cases duplicating functions. So Miller has that combined experience. The term used at that time was perhaps "metropolitan police".

[michele]

Joe, wrote a post and titled it after yours, but before reading yours. Great minds... Or maybe it was just the obvious. ;)

[Joe Guarino]

Michele, I like your new blog. Let's hope this works out.

Wayne, that would be quite a development, and would elicit a reaction.

Thanks, William, for the comments. I think he has to reestablish authority and discipline, and the ranks need to follow. I also happen to think he needs to work on the attitude of certain officers-- big time. Some need to leave, and some probably need to be fired. Building increased merit and quality and honor and accountability among all the officers, black and white, will make the organization work better as a whole, and will enhance the satisfaction and prospects for individual officers.

But he also needs to be serious about fighting crime, and maximally use the resources available to him to do so. He needs to adopt a proactive approach and use the most effective means of reducing crime.

[Dr. Mary Johnson]

So Michelle, does he meet all your requirements for police officers?

;)

[michele]

LOL. Looking good so far, Mary. We shall see... ;)

[triadwatch]

Make sure someone tells him to make sure he has 2 sets of keys to his office.

[michele]

P.S. Thanks, Joe. :)

TW: Cops don't need keys to open doors. They have shoulders, feet, bullets, etc. ;)

[Bubba]

To protect himself, I think the new chief should be permanently wired for always-on recorded sound, even if it requires him to start every conversation with advance notice regarding any ensuing conversation.

All such conversations should be "on the record", and should be sent to two distinct repository destinations, one of which will be designated as the chief's permanent personal property.

[michele]

Bubba, funny/truth.

[jaycee]

Bubba, that's not bad advice!
Miller was an Air Force cop, as was I. I like that background!
A chief of a large city is, by necessity, a politician.
It remains to be seen if Miller will allow city leaders to micromanage his department or whether he will lead on his own.
We'll see.

[Joe Guarino]

Yes, I think Chief Miller will need to devise all kinds of means to protect himself. The usual forces are going to be trying to bring him down right from the outset.

The question is whether he can trust the city manager and certain council members to allow him to do his job. I wonder if there is an insurance product that provides protection against being stabbed in the back.

[Brenda Bowers]

I took some time to try and check Miller out and came to the same conclusions as Ken, Miller's experience in the cooperative operations of the Mecklenburg sheriffs office and the Charlotte police might prove to be very valuable. And I have no trouble with someone from the area/state because he will have a general idea of what has been happening here in Greensboro. After all if we are known as far away as California as being a racist city then Miller shoukd understand that dfact too and be willing and confident that he can deaal with it. And also his military experience!
But the biggee is the support given to him by the City Manager. If Miller doesn't get TOTAL support then we will just have another Wray situation and things won't calm down until the "victim Blacks" have another Black chief.

Also be prepared for a lot more Black police officers and the Pulpit mob coming up with big splashy and false press conferences that the N&R will jump right on with coverage front-center-above the fold!

And one other thing I am excited about: I will be reading a lot more interesting :) reports on Joe's site than the usual Robbie "sleazy" doing his usual sleazing. BB

[Brenda Bowers]

Just reread the last paragraph. No put down to Joe! Joe is the best reporter in Greensboro bar none, but he has had to deal with what was going on and Perkinettes have been mischief making for months now with apparently no one willing and able to stop them. Vaughn should not have been a surprise really when one removed her record from what she was saying. Words mean nothing and are cheap. BB

[Joe Guarino]

There is apparently going to be a big splash news conference tomorrow during which Miller will be introduced to the community. But as you say, Brenda, words are cheap, and can mean nothing. What matters is what he does, and how his superiors behave.

[Ken Hill]

And if things go badly for Miller, Jerry Bledsoe can do another (well done) series in the Rhino times.