TPD Aims To Build Relationships Through New Deputy Chief Role

TUSCALOOSA, AL. — Amid nationwide unrest and debate over the future of police tactics, one local agency hopes to utilize its resources to bridge important gaps in the community it serves.

The Tuscaloosa Police Department will soon add a new supervisor to its ranks, who will be tasked with overseeing a sweeping new set of community policing efforts under a City Hall directive.

Patch reported in August when Mayor Walt Maddox rolled out "Project Unity" — a multifaceted approach to community engagement and policing, a component of which will see the establishment of the Chief's Commission for Community Policing. As part of the commission, a deputy chief position will be created to serve as the project team leader for the initiative, while associate city attorney Scott Holmes will be the deputy project team leader.

"The commission will have 16 members that will make recommendations on recruiting, training and retention and community outreach," TPD Chief Brent Blankley told Patch. "So getting that up and running and then overseeing what this group implements will be first on the agenda."

Blankley then said the department had already been discussing ways to improve its community policing efforts prior to the tumult of the last year and the recent peaceful demonstration held in downtown Tuscaloosa showed department leadership that fostering effective community policing would be welcomed by the public.

"A highly-engaged community contributes to a healthy and safe community," he said. "Designating a high-ranking position to focus solely on building those relationships is the best way we can move forward as a department and right now is the time to do it."

During past discussions ahead of Project Unity moving forward and the position being filled, there was debate and concern expressed regarding the qualifications of whoever may be hired. A primary talking point focused on the possibility of a lower-ranking officer bypassing a more experienced officer for a position equivalent to that of an assistant chief.

Blankley said there are two assistant chief positions in the department, with one vacant following the retirement of Assistant Chief Ronnie Dunn on Sept. 3. TPD hopes to fill that position soon and also has another assistant chief, Mitt Tubbs, providing necessary leadership during the interim period.

"[Assistant chiefs] deal more with the internal daily operations and department administration," he explained. "The newly-created deputy chief position will be solely dedicated to acting as a liaison between the department and the community."

The department defines community policing as "engaging and working with the community to make Tuscaloosa a safe place to live and work," and its chief, who came up through the TPD ranks, said the approach to community-focused police work is not a foreign concept for the city.

Blankley said TPD has had community policing programs over the years through its crime prevention division, but it's never assigned the job to someone with a high rank like deputy chief.

"Making this deputy chief position will give this person authority to assign officers as they see fit to carry out specific tasks for certain events," he pointed out.

When asked about what he views as the primary qualifications for the position, Blankley said the deputy chief, who he confirmed will be an internal hire, will need to be someone who is already known and respected in the community and the department. He also mentioned "The need to have a passion for working in the community and the skill set to be able to bring the community and the department closer together."

Looking ahead to the potential of the entire initiative, Blankley said the department's hope is to send the message that TPD is listening and wants to continue to do so.

"The new deputy chief and the different programs and initiatives will all be geared toward establishing and maintaining relationships," he said. "We recognize the value of public participation and citizen involvement – and hope that it promotes trust while reinforcing the fact that everyone benefits when the department succeeds."