While recent talk has focused on A C Wharton's pick for chief administrative officer, there's also the lingering question about whether he'll replace the police director.
Wharton could choose to keep Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin or he could conduct a national search for a new leader -- a decision he's remained vague on throughout his campaign, saying only that he would look at every position individually.
At the East Memphis Rotary meeting on Wednesday, Wharton touched on the issue once again. While he didn't indicate whether he'd try to replace Godwin, he did say it would be difficult to find a new director who could "hit the ground running" and make a dent in crime during his condensed term. With the next mayoral election in 2011, Wharton said he'll have to start campaigning again in 18 months.
"The real world just doesn't operate that way," he said.
Wharton added that if his administration was to "come to the point at which we were to say we need a new police director, you'll have a difficult time finding someone at the top of his or her game. I don't want someone doing a halfway job."
Wharton also said his approach to improving public safety didn't rest solely on the shoulders of the police department's leader.
"We need to look at the structure," he said. "Don't start hiring people until you decide what you want to do."
As for Godwin, he acknowledged the uncertainty of the transition at a meeting today with the Frayser Exchange Club, saying that he's advised his officers to just "go to work."
"This is not about Larry Godwin," he said at the lunchtime meeting at Mrs. Winner's Chicken & Biscuits in Frayser. "I think the mayor will know what he wants. As far as I'm concerned it's business as usual."
Godwin said he's not done anything in particular to appeal to Wharton, but emphasized that he's comfortable with the two-term county mayor, who he's worked with on Operation: Safe Community (Wharton was one of the crime plan's pioneers).
"I know that he's very knowledgeable," Godwin said. "I feel very comfortable because I have worked with him before ... but that's a decision he'll make when he's ready."
Interesting! I guess having your subordinates "work the crowd" as reported last week in the CA at Wharton's campaign headquarters, would not be considered an "appeal to Wharton" by the current Police Director. These city Directors might as well be running for public office themselves. Their positions apparently aren't designed just to carry out duties. Politicking for job retention should have been added to their job descriptions by the previous mayor's administration.
If we are conducting "business as usual" than a Deputy Director needs to be appointed ASAP. If this high paying position can remain vacant, why are we spending our tax dollars unnecesserally? Once a qualified, appropriately experienced Deputy Director is appointed, the Mayor is free to conduct a national search, and choose the candidate who is most likely to "share his dream" for Director, without concern for disruption in the daily operations of the department. If the current director fails to appoint a Deputy Director soon, he is creating the appearance of attempting to retain his position by manipulation. I am sure this is not the perception he wishes to convey, and I hope the new mayor will not be subject to any such political antics.