Whitey Ford
03-25-2019, 08:59 PM
Black police chief forced to resign after trying to rid the department of systematic racism (https://archive.fo/URquz#selection-621.0-621.91)
Former Portsmouth Police Chief Tonya Chapman claimed she was forced to resign after attempts to eradicate systematic racism within the department.
She explained that because of racial tensions between police and the community that she knew trying to change the behavior and relationships would be challenging, but that she was up to the job.
“Some quite frankly did not like taking direction from an African American female,” she wrote, “Some politically connected individuals that never had confidence in me in the first place.”
Former Portsmouth Police chief claims she was forced to resign
Tonya Chapman wrote she was forced out by one of her close colleagues: City Manager Lydia Pettis-Patton. (https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/mycity/portsmouth/former-portsmouth-police-chief-claims-she-was-forced-to-resign/291-4726362e-289b-445f-bc06-a7de1d0991ac)
Chapman said when she took the position in 2016, she was advised about tension between the community and police department. Yet she was determined to change the culture and develop a highly ethical, high performing, and diverse police department.
According to Chapman, she was forced to resign when she was called into a meeting with the city manager, who began to read a "scripted document" that said in part that Chapman had "lost the confidence" of her department.
Chapman wrote that despite her attempts to get more answers, she was told the city manager couldn't say more. She only had the choice to sign the pre-written letter of resignation, or she would be terminated.
Former Portsmouth Police Chief Tonya Chapman claimed she was forced to resign after attempts to eradicate systematic racism within the department.
She explained that because of racial tensions between police and the community that she knew trying to change the behavior and relationships would be challenging, but that she was up to the job.
“Some quite frankly did not like taking direction from an African American female,” she wrote, “Some politically connected individuals that never had confidence in me in the first place.”
Former Portsmouth Police chief claims she was forced to resign
Tonya Chapman wrote she was forced out by one of her close colleagues: City Manager Lydia Pettis-Patton. (https://www.13newsnow.com/article/news/local/mycity/portsmouth/former-portsmouth-police-chief-claims-she-was-forced-to-resign/291-4726362e-289b-445f-bc06-a7de1d0991ac)
Chapman said when she took the position in 2016, she was advised about tension between the community and police department. Yet she was determined to change the culture and develop a highly ethical, high performing, and diverse police department.
According to Chapman, she was forced to resign when she was called into a meeting with the city manager, who began to read a "scripted document" that said in part that Chapman had "lost the confidence" of her department.
Chapman wrote that despite her attempts to get more answers, she was told the city manager couldn't say more. She only had the choice to sign the pre-written letter of resignation, or she would be terminated.