NATCHEZ — A Mississippi city now has its first female police chief after its governing body voted to remove the interim tag from the title.
The Natchez Board of Aldermen voted 5-1 Tuesday to appoint Cal Green as the city’s top cop, promoting her from the interim position she’d held since December, news outlets reported. Green replaced former Chief Joseph Daughtry Sr., who resigned to take the chief’s position in Columbus.
“My goal is to improve the police department and make Natchez a safer place to live, work and play,” Green said.
Green began working for the Natchez Police Department in 1997. She left in 2004 to work for the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, where she served as a lieutenant for 18 years before returning to the Natchez Police department two years ago as the agency’s first female commander.
Alderman Billie Joe Frazier cast the lone vote against Green’s appointment, not because he objected to her in the role, but because he disagreed with the process officials used to promote her, he told the Natchez Democrat.
Last week, officials approved a job description for the chief’s post that would only allow the four who were eligible for the interim chief’s role to apply for the permanent position.
Frazier said the candidates who were already interviewed for the interim position would feel as though the city had already decided who would be the chief based on their previous choice of Green for interim chief.
“If I was one of them, I don’t think I would apply for the job either because, in all honesty, they already know they are not going to get the job,” he said. “I don’t like the way this process was done.”
Mayor Dan Gibson administered the oath of office to Green following the regular board meeting, making her the first female chief the department has ever had, WLBT-TV reported.
“This is a historic moment,” Gibson said.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
