Charlotte’s next police chief: City will ‘be stronger’ post-pandemic
Charlotte City Manager Marcus Jones Wednesday named veteran police officer Johnny Jennings as Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s next police chief.
Jennings, a deputy chief who’s been with the department for 28 years, will succeed Kerr Putney in September, after the Republican National Convention in August. Putney is retiring after nearly three decades on the force.
“It has been amazing to get to know Deputy Chief Jennings,” Jones said. “He knows and cares deeply about the community.”
Jennings was hired from among about 60 applicants after a national search, Jones said.
The announcement comes as Charlotte grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic and attempts to to combat violent crime, after the city recorded a staggering 107 homicides last year. That was Charlotte’s highest murder rate in more than a decade, with 11.6 homicides per 100,000 people, the Observer reported.
During the pandemic, domestic violence calls have spiked and drug crimes have dipped, CMPD previously said. Shootings in the city have also increased during the coronavirus stay-at-home period.
‘Seamless transition’
Putney said Jennings is “as competitive and driven to succeed and make this city safer than anybody I’ve known.” In the next three months, Putney said he’ll work closely with Jennings to ensure “a seamless” transition to leading CMPD.
“Stay true to your faith and support your family,” Putney offered as advice.” “Everything else will take care of itself.”
Jennings is currently deputy chief of the CMPD Support Services Group, which oversees the Community Services Bureau. The bureau includes animal care and control, school resource officers, crime prevention, volunteers and several community outreach programs, according to CMPD’s website.
“I’m extremely honored, humbled, excited,” Jennings said. “The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, in my mind, is one of the finest agencies in the country.”
Jennings said he was ready for the “challenge” of serving as the next police chief.
It was too early, Jennings said, to release specific policing plans — such new violence interrupter programs and community-based efforts to alleviate crime in places leaders have called “durable hot spots.” Those include areas around Interstate 85/Sugar Creek, Beatties Ford Road/LaSalle Street, Nations Ford/Arrowood Roads and Sharon Amity Road/Central Avenue.
Mayor Vi Lyles celebrated Jennings’ promotion but acknowledged Charlotte is “at a different time” due to the pandemic.
“Chief Jennings’ background in leading community outreach programs makes him an ideal fit to look at both policing and community engagement, and building public trust in our department,” Lyles said.
Jennings acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic will be an ongoing challenge for Charlotte residents.
“We are a strong city,” Jennings said. “I know we’re going to figure out the best way to come back, and we’re going to be stronger because of this.”
Last fall, Putney had announced that he planned to retire at the end of 2019 and then come back as chief through the convention. But his plans ran afoul of N.C. Treasurer Dale Folwell, who said a state law prohibits a government employee from collecting a retirement pension with the “intent or agreement, expressed or implied, to return to service.”
This story was originally published May 20, 2020 at 10:50 AM.
