Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton's radio appearance with Thaddeus Matthews on Thursday provides some context on what may be behind Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin now saying he will "listen" to unidentified community leaders urging him to run for mayor.
Wharton (right, with Herenton at a June news conference) was asked specifically about the police director position,
and he said the job would become "open" and he would conduct a national
search. He did say Godwin could apply for the job just like anyone else.Curiously, that answer came immediately after Wharton had said "it would be grossly inappropriate" to commit to hiring or firing anyone, in response to a question about whether he would retain former City Councilman Jack Sammons should Sammons become city chief administrative officer after City Council chair Myron Lowery becomes mayor pro tem (upon Herenton's resignation, of course).
"I have never, never, never in all my political life said I would hire anybody if I'm elected, nor have I ever and nor will I ever say I will fire anybody if I am elected," Wharton said.
Godwin, who was appointed full-time director by Mayor Willie Herenton in November of 2004, well knows that Wharton is not the only candidate who might be looking for a new police director, and he appears serious about considering a mayoral run.
Godwin did say Wednesday that he fully expected to stay on as director when -- if? -- Herenton resigns and Lowery becomes mayor pro tem.
"Any questions the mayor pro tem has for me I can answer," Godwin said. "I don't want to put words in his mouth, but I think he's looking at stability. He's always had a good rapport with me. He knows I'm a straight talker and a man of my word. I'm confident he's not going to make a change. I'm confident he supports me -- he has in (City) Council. So I have no reason to believe that he's not in full support of the direction of the police department.
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