Dennis Clark, who is in a runoff for the District 5 seat on the City Council, said Wednesday that Tim Kelly "has already announced" that he will name Capt. Jerri Weary Sutton as the next police chief. However, former city police chief Fred Fletcher said in a letter to Chattanoogan.com that Mr. Kelly will retain Chief David Roddy.
Mr. Kelly on Wednesday night said he and Chief Roddy "will sit down and will get to know each other even better and collaborate on a vision for the department focused on public safety, additional police reforms, transparency and accountability." Later in his statement, he said he will keep Chief Roddy.
Mr. Clark was in a video with protest leader Cameron "C-Grimey" Williams when he said he trusts Mr. Kelly. Mr. Clark added, "He has already announced his police chief, which is a black female, which is Jerri Weary. I also trust Jerri a lot."
He asked Mr. Williams, "You know?" Mr. Williams said, "I did not know that."
Mr. Clark then asked, "Did I just say something that's not public? Oh my God. Oh my God."
Mr. Kelly's full statement was, "My position has been consistent: Chief Roddy has supported forward-looking reforms, including embracing Eight Can't Wait, a nationally recognized collection of policies that make policing more equitable and just. Plain and simple, Chief Roddy has done a good job in challenging times and I see no reason to make a change.
"If we are fortunate enough to win – Chief Roddy and I will get to know each other even better and collaborate on a vision for the department focused on public safety, additional police reforms, transparency and accountability.
"I am grateful for yesterday's endorsement from a critical coalition of pastors. When I met with them, I was clear where I stood on the issue of our police chief and the fact that I planned on keeping Chief Roddy. This kind of honest dialogue is exactly how I plan to govern as mayor.”
Kim White said on Wednesday night, “Chief David Roddy has my full support and will continue to have my full support if elected mayor.
"In the last week, I met with two groups of faith and community leaders of color, and I was asked if I would commit to replacing Chief Roddy and additional leadership in exchange for their support. While I respect the opportunity to build relationships across our city and will always listen to the concerns of neighbors, I will not disrupt the Chattanooga Police Department’s progress by the unwarranted replacement of Chief Roddy and others.
"I strongly believe that any change in leadership or subsequent reduction in funding, training, hiring, resources or overall support of our Chattanooga Police Department will result in a deeper divide in the community. Furthermore, I deeply respect Chief Roddy’s integrity, transparency and commitment to diversity and inclusion within his department. To better serve our neighbors and community, as well as sustain a sense of faith and goodwill between our department and community, I will remain a steadfast supporter of Chief Roddy and the brave men and women of the Chattanooga Police Department.”
Mr. Fletcher said, "It was with great interest and more than a small amount of concern that I read an agenda which a group of Chattanooga faith leaders recently presented to the candidates who will meet very soon in a run-off election to decide the next mayor of The Best Town Ever. That agenda included a number of intriguing and interesting suggestions although, shockingly, among them was one to replace Chief David Roddy as the head of the Chattanooga Police Department. Any suggestion to replace Chief Roddy is uninformed and against the best interests of Chattanooga. Chief Roddy’s values, words, and actions clearly and consistently demonstrate his commitment and aptitude at providing procedurally just policing that respects and protects all of Chattanooga’s diverse population.
"I provided an early endorsement of Tim Kelly for the next mayor of Chattanooga for a variety of reasons. Tim is smart, energetic, curious, and an accomplished businessman who loves Chattanooga and has developed an admirable suite of meaningful policy proposals in collaboration a diverse group of stakeholders – of which I am pleased to count myself. I also endorsed Tim Kelly for mayor because he personally and unequivocally assured me that he intends to retain Chief Roddy as Chief of Police. Tim has clearly told me that he respects and appreciates the progressive leadership David Roddy has provided including Chief Roddy’s deliberate and sincere relationship with all of Chattanooga’s diverse population and its faith community with whom Roddy has many personal relationships. Tim specifically referenced his support of Chief Roddy and his intention to retain as we discussed Roddy’s many accomplishments including building those vital relationships and working to address root causes of crime and violence in our community by addressing issues like Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as a way to break the cycle of crime, violence, trauma, and criminalization. Those types of efforts and collaboration are consistent with Tim’s policy proposals and the agenda proposed by local faith leaders.
"Chief Roddy understands what inclusive policing looks like and, as a man of deep faith himself, has made working with the faith community, and the diverse communities they represent, an integral part of his approach to leadership. Just today, for example, the Chattanooga Police Department announced it will reach a long-standing goal of hiring a class of prospective police officers who represent the racial diversity of Chattanooga. That success – which eluded me for years – is a direct product of Chief Roddy’s progressive, creative, and aggressive leadership and the diversity efforts he has introduced and which are coveted and copied nationwide like Victim Services, Trauma-Informed Policing, Front Porch Lineups, and Poverty Simulations, to name just a few.
"Make no mistake, I endorsed Tim Kelly for Mayor for his many admirable qualities and foremost among those qualities is Tim’s commitment to retain Chief Roddy at the helm of the Chattanooga Police Department. I have spoken regularly and recently with Tim and he has been consistent and unwavering in his commitment to retaining Chief Roddy as Chief of Police. All of Chattanooga will benefit from this commitment to the leadership, progress, and inclusion Chief Roddy has consistently demonstrated. This is why other cities around the country consistently try to lure leaders like Chief Roddy away from their home. We should be thankful that Tim Kelly is as committed to David Roddy as David Roddy has been to all of Chattanooga."