From retirement to replacement: My views on Chief Monroe
For those of you who did not already hear, Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Chief Rodney Monroe announced his retirement on Monday.Â
Most met the news with some surprise, and plenty of nice accolades to give. His legacy is best described by Greg Lacour in his #nestpoke series article, “Why Rodney Monroe Mattered” Â
While neither the Chief nor the department are perfect, its rare today to find the kind of praise being given to someone in law enforcement - or really anyone in the public eye as much as he. That to me is an even bigger compliment to the work he has done. We know the work continues, and by no means have we got it all figured out but somehow Monroe was able to make it work here in Charlotte.Â
Our depressing economic data might lead you to believe that Charlotte has a higher-then-not likelihood of facing similar acts of protest. However, through programs championed by Monroe like Cops and Barbers, and his community policing strategy, a conversation has started and lines of communication are open.
How do you replace someone like this?Â
As the search begins for a new chief we should not underestimate the power of this process. We need to ensure that our next chief represents the kind of city we are creating and the kind of city Chief Monroe make us today.Â
We don’t need to look for the best Chief for today - Monroe has already set-us up in the near term to succeed - we need a Chief for five years from now. No matter which direction you think our city is heading, its undoubtedly changing fast. The next Chief is will need evolve with the department in a similar fashion.
While other distractions around this story are popping up that might divert your attention from the selection process, don’t chase the story. There will be space for those conversations after the task at hand. We should stay focused on two things; properly recognizing the work of Chief Monroe, and finding a new chief who will lead this department forward in a manner consistent with the city we all are creating.Â