The current Natchez police chief was the first finalist interviewed Wednesday for the same position in Columbus.
Multiple sources with direct knowledge of the process confirmed to The Dispatch that Joseph Daughtry Sr. was interviewed before the city council in executive session. It was the first of planned in-person interviews for three finalists that will stretch into next week.
City officials have not released the names of any of the finalists, including Daughtry, but council members after the interview were positive on Wednesday’s interviewee.
Vice Mayor Joseph Mickens said all of the finalists are “versatile.”
“I know the quality of these three applicants, and they are all very capable,” he said. “You could flip a coin and I don’t care which one it lands on, they could do the job. They’re just that good.”
Daughtry is clearly a leader, he said.
“He said leadership is not about being in charge, it’s about taking care of the people you’re in charge of,” he said. “That struck me. He talked about getting out into the community, and not asking people to do more than he would do.”
According to Daughtry’s LinkedIn profile, he has been police chief in Natchez for two years. He previously served as chief in Pelahatchie for two years; as a Rankin County sheriff’s deputy for four years; as captain of the community service division at the Hinds County Sheriff’s Office for three years; as a patrol sergeant for the Jackson Police Department for 10 years; and as a deputy sheriff for the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office in New Orleans for four years.
In June he was elected leader of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police.
“He’s a pretty impressive guy, there’s no doubt,” said Ward 3 Councilman Rusty Greene. “We liked what we heard, but of course we’ve got two other candidates we need to interview. It looks like we’ve got three good candidates and a tough decision ahead of us.”
Ward 4 Councilman Pierre Beard said Daughtry would be a tough act to follow.
“The other two candidates have a high bar that’s been set for them,” Beard said. “He wants to bring leadership and structure and he’s trying to progress. Those are all three words that I’m dying over. Those were the magic words.”
Beard said he was impressed that Daughtry had been looking around Columbus.
“He said he had been here visiting, riding around, speaking to people, just getting a feel for the city,” he said. “He set the bar extremely high.”
Ward 5 Councilman Stephen Jones said the interview went “real well.”
“He seems to know the job, he did a great job in the interview,” Jones said. “He has the knowledge, and connections to other positions in the state. He seems like he wants the betterment of Columbus.”
Ward 6 Councilwoman Jacqueline DiCicco said he did an “outstanding” job.
“It was his caring for the people of the community, and also for the police officers,” she said. “He is totally into developing his people, and that was very, very impressive. He wants people to understand who they work for and who they are protecting.”
The city is replacing former chief Fred Shelton, who retired on Aug. 15. He announced his intention to retire on July 12, hours before a special-call city council meeting to discuss his job performance.
Columbus City Council appointed Doran Johnson, the assistant chief, to serve as interim chief, effective Aug. 16. He said at the time he would apply for the permanent post.
Private meetings
Mayor Keith Gaskin told The Dispatch last week that the names of the three finalists would be released closer to the time of their interviews. He also said he planned to hold public receptions after each interview, if the finalist was open to it.
Wednesday’s interview didn’t work out that way. After meeting behind closed doors with the council for about 90 minutes, Gaskin told members of the media that the candidate, who initially agreed to the public reception, had changed his mind and did not want to release his name or resume.
Instead, Daughtry met privately with about 12 to 15 police officers who had come for the announced reception, and then separately met with a few members of the public who also showed up. The media was barred from the room both times.
“We have given each candidate an opportunity for us to be able to release the information about them after they interview with the council,” Gaskin said after the executive session. “Today’s candidate does not want his name released.”
Gaskin said he knew there was a lot of interest in the chief, but the city wants to respect the process and the candidate’s privacy, as well.
“We have to be cognizant that some are more comfortable releasing that information than others,” he said. “That will not have any impact on the selection process. We want to inform the public as soon as possible, but also respect the candidate’s wishes.”
Vote and veto
Behind the scenes, there was a sharp divide between the mayor and the council on whether the candidates names should be made public, and whether the planned receptions should go forward.
During executive session Tuesday night, Beard moved, with a second by Mickens, to not let police chief candidates meet with the public after the interviews were held. The motion passed 5-1, with DiCicco opposed. City Attorney Jeff Turnage said the issue was taken into executive session because he thought it would talk about specific candidates by name.
“I thought the discussion was going to have to do with a matter of personnel related to the applicants,” he said. “And it did, but it was more along the line of not having (the reception).”
Gaskin vetoed that decision, and the council chose not to override the veto, meaning future finalists can elect whether to receive the public after their interviews.
“I explained in my veto how important I thought it was for the candidates to have access to the citizens,” he said. “If for some reason they changed their mind, we would respect that.”
Gaskin said he thought the debate about releasing the names and meeting the public is healthy.
“We want to be respectful of the candidates, but the chief of police is a very high profile position in the city,” he said. “When you look at the role of the police chief in today’s society, it’s one of the most important hires the city will make. I think it’s important to be transparent, but we have to also be respectful of the candidates.”
Mickens said he voted against the public meetings to protect the candidates.
“Some of them haven’t really talked to their (current employers) about it yet,” he said. “We didn’t feel like we need to put them out there yet, because nobody’s gotten the job of chief yet.”
Mickens said the council elected not to override the veto to avoid the negative publicity.
“I went home and thought about it and said it ain’t worth this for the city and the community,” he said. “We don’t need that. We’ve got too much going on. If that’s what the mayor wants, give him what he wants.”
Greene declined to comment on how he voted or why, since the discussion took place in executive session.
Beard said he was trying to protect the candidates.
“I didn’t know if all three of the applicants were willing to do what (Gaskin) said he had talked to them about,” Beard said. “I know that a lot of people when they apply for these positions they have jobs other places, and it can cause an issue.”
Jones agreed.
“I think all three of them have jobs now,” he said. “If I’m working for Shell, and I’m trying to get a job at Texaco, I don’t need to be publicly doing anything while I’m still employed with somebody else.”
DiCicco said she didn’t think it should have been an issue.
“If the candidates had all agreed in advance with the mayor to speak to the public, I thought in the vein of transparency that they should have the opportunity,” she said. “The public should have the opportunity to meet the finalists, if they are willing.”
Ward 1 Councilwoman Ethel Taylor Stewart did not return a Dispatch phone call seeking comment.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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