Medlock Jumps Ship as CMPD Rank and File Do Their Happy Dance

Fayetteville's Police Department will become all to familiar with Harold Medlock's autocratic management style and ragging temper before the end of February.

Many saw Medlock's DNC assignment as making him heir apparent to succeed Rodney Monroe. So what happened in the wake of the convention? Many suggest that Chief Monroe expected a call back to Washington, a call from Bo that never came. Which gave Medlock no move but out.

According to the Fayetteville Observer:

"Fayetteville's next police chief says his administration will focus on gun violence and police technology and training.

"We are going to focus on people who use guns and firearms to assault other folks or to rob other folks," Harold Medlock said Wednesday.

Medlock, 55, a deputy police chief in Charlotte, was introduced at a news conference Wednesday outside the Police Department headquarters, where more than 50 city employees had gathered.

"I'm thrilled to be here today," said Medlock, who had driven into town with his wife, Gloria. "This is a highlight of my career. This is a capstone."

Medlock plans to start his job Feb. 18, overseeing a department of about 390 officers who came under scrutiny more than a year ago over vehicular consent search practices that stopped a much higher percentage of black drivers than white ones.

"What I'm asking the community to do is to give me a chance, to get to know who I am and give me a chance to make an impact in building that trust," Medlock said.

Medlock said he plans to be accessible to the public and be at the scene of any major crime.
"I like interacting with the community," he said. "I thrive on that, and I love working with cops."

He complimented the Fayetteville police force, which is nationally accredited, and said he looks forward to getting to know the officers.

"We are going to look at some exciting things moving forward, a lot of new technology and a lot of opportunities in this profession," he said.

"We are going to explore all of those," he said. "We are going to be very aggressive in making sure we have the most up-to-date Police Department, that we are the best-equipped and the best-trained in the state of North Carolina."

Medlock will be leaving a command that had put him in charge of about 800 officers in the southern half of Mecklenburg County in the state's largest metropolitan area. He said his focus in Charlotte has been on reducing crime and improving the quality of life.

"And I want to bring that same enthusiasm, that same focus to FPD," he said.

Medlock's most recent assignment was coordinating security for the Democratic National Convention in September. It was an immense undertaking touted by Voorhees.

"I'm very excited about his ability to connect with the community," Voorhees said.

Mayor Tony Chavonne and City Councilmen Bill Crisp, Wade Fowler and Bobby Hurst, who were at the news conference, said they are pleased with the selection.

"I think he will do exceptionally well, and I'm optimistic," Crisp said.

Hurst said Medlock's resume is impressive.

"I think he'll be able to bring a lot of good ideas here," Hurst said.

Medlock's span with Charlotte-Mecklenburg police began in 1993.

Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx said through a spokeswoman that Medlock has done "an excellent job serving Charlotte over many years."

"I'm very sorry to see him leave but wish him well at his new post in Fayetteville," Foxx said.

Few CMPD Officers have the same feeling toward Harold Medlock as Mayor Foxx, and while most are doing a happy dance, once the reality sets in that the next Deputy Chief will more than likely be worse, they will stop dancing.

Who will it be? Ruth Story, Sherie Pearsall, Bruce Bellamy?

In the end CMPD Officers on the street will keep doing their job, never mind the idiots above.