The Board of Mayor and Aldermen welcomed the newest leader of our local police department with the appointment of veteran law enforcement officer Terry Gann, who most recently held the role of chief deputy with the Yazoo County Sheriff’s Department.
The appointment was made during Monday’s regular board meeting with no opposition from any of our council members.
Gann’s appointment marks the city’s ninth police chief in the past eight years. Having worked with Gann at this newspaper for several years, we are confident and hopeful of his direction within one the community’s most vital departments.
We were also impressed with the department’s direction under veteran officer Capt. Patrick Jaco, who served as interim chief during the recent vacancy. We hope that Jaco’s commitment to the department will continue moving forward.
But what we don’t hope is a repeating trend is the possibility of interference from outside political factors. For the past eight years, Yazoo City has seen eight police chiefs rotate through the doors at the police department. The longest holding tenure of those was about three years, with most only holding the position for about a year.
In some cases, the former police chiefs resigned due to conflict with members of the city council, from both past and current administrations. And, in some situations, the position was not reappointed by the city council on often vague grounds; however, some cases were made quite clear.
Regardless of who was named the city’s next police chief, the position comes with its share of challenges. The new chief takes over during a violent local crime wave, particularly among our juveniles, that has many residents feeling unprotected.
The city of Yazoo must let Gann do his job without the potential of political involvement that has hampered police chiefs in the past. One interesting concept is that some municipalities are opting to approve a charter amendment to keep council members, even as they exercise proper oversight, from interfering with the administration's daily work. That is an interesting amendment that seems to have worked in other municipalities.
The citizens of Yazoo City need a police chief fighting crime and engaging the community in that most crucial area. To make that happen successfully, politics need to be removed. History has shown us that interference is a recipe for disaster.
Good luck, Chief.
