Chief Joseph Daughtry will remain at Columbus Police Department, after Jackson passed him over for the chief job there.
Jackson Mayor John Horhn on Friday announced RaShall M. Brackney will be the city’s next chief of police, a position for which Daughtry was named a finalist in January.
“From the start of this search, our focus has been finding the right leader to build trust, reduce crime, and strengthen the partnership between our officers and the residents they serve,” Horhn said in a press release. “Dr. RaShall Brackney has spent her career working at the intersection of public safety and community trust, and she knows effective policing depends on accountability and transparency. Her experience running complex departments, her national reputation as a public safety expert, and her commitment to listening to residents make her the right choice to lead the Jackson Police Department.”
Daughtry, who said he was notified he had not gotten the job Wednesday, said it was an honor to even be considered for the position.
“You’re talking about the capital city for the state of Mississippi,” he told The Dispatch. “… It took Mayor (Stephen) Jones to open my eyes and to tell me how proud he was of me by the fact that out of a national search, the Columbus police chief made the final two.”
While he’s glad Daughtry is sticking around, Jones told The Dispatch he couldn’t describe himself as “happy,” knowing what an opportunity it would have been for the chief.
“I hate it for him, (but) I’m happy that we get to retain him here because I think that he’s one of the best chiefs in the state of Mississippi, if not in the nation,” Jones said. “I’m honored that we get to hold onto him. I think it will be business as usual.”
Daughtry, who was hired by the city in November 2022 after a four-month search, said he doesn’t have any other plans to leave Columbus. The appeal of Jackson, he said, was the honor of leading law enforcement in the capital city.
“We only got one capital city (in Mississippi),” he said. “Making a lateral move has never been an option.”
Daughtry said he was appreciative of the support he received from the community after he was announced as a finalist.
“I want to thank the citizens of this city who supported me and came out and told me how proud they were,” he said. “… It just shows you the community and I appreciate their support. I had mixed emotions from a lot of people (who were) happy for me but really didn’t want me to go.”
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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