The Virginian-Pilot
©
CHESAPEAKE
Kelvin Wright's mother had a feeling.
She knew her son had applied for chief of the Chesapeake Police Department. She knew a decision was coming any day, and she knew Wright would tell her in person.
They were in her backyard over the weekend working on a lawn mower when, Jessie Wright said, a flock of birds flew away suddenly. That's when Wright told her he'd gotten the job.
The formal announcement came Monday afternoon during a news conference in City Council chambers. Wright, a 26-year Chesapeake police veteran, replaces Richard Justice, who retires today after more than four decades in the department.
Wright also becomes Chesapeake's first black police chief.
"It's a dream come true," Wright told the chamber packed with officers.
The fact that he is Chesapeake's first black chief "has some significance," he said "There is a portion of our community that has looked forward to this day."
"He's been a trailblazer," City Manager William E. Harrell said. "It is a historic day."
Harrell said Wright was chosen because of his creativity and his willingness to examine police operations and reach out to minorities. Wright was one of 46 candidates in a national search, which included other officers from Chesapeake. Both the Chesapeake Public Safety Alliance and the local Fraternal Order of Police chapter strongly encouraged the city to hire from within the department.
"We felt the entire command staff was qualified, and still do," said Jim Shipley, president of the city's Public Safety Alliance.
Wright signs on as chief less than three months after Detective Jarrod Shivers was shot and killed while serving a drug search warrant. Some have criticized the department for serving the warrant in the first place; enough marijuana was found at the home to charge resident Ryan Frederick with first-offense possession. He has also been charged with first-degree murder and use of a firearm.
One of Wright's first duties as police chief will be to review the department's procedures, polices and staffing levels. The city has hired an independent consulting firm to review police operations.
Wright also said he intends to focus on recruitment, reduce crime in "hot spots" and reach out to the community.
Councilwoman Rebecca Adams described Wright as "very bright" and "very knowledgeable of what the needs of the city are. He's very open; he really is. He's not guarded in what he says to a council member."
Wright, 48, did not always plan to become a police officer.
In 1981, the Portsmouth native was laid off from a job with General Electric Co. in Suffolk and didn't have a plan. His older sister, Sharon Scott, told him to think about law enforcement. Scott was one of the first black women in Virginia to work as a state trooper.
Scott said Wright, one of eight children, was always "very fair and wise beyond his years."
The chief joined the city's police force in 1982 and went on to receive an associate's degree in criminal justice, a bachelor's degree in sociology and a master's degree in public administration.
Wright is now pursuing a doctorate in public administration at Old Dominion University.
At least by 1998, he had set his sights on the top post. When asked by a reporter about his long-term goals, Wright simply answered: "Chief."
His field training officer, Detective D.A. Anderson, said Wright was someone who wasn't afraid to enforce the law as a traffic officer. "He was a menace to society because he wrote so many tickets in Great Bridge."
Wright saluted Anderson during Monday's announcement. He choked up as he thanked his parents, who were in council chambers.
His older son, Kelvin Ashburne, drove from Maryland for the occasion. Wright called him Sunday night with the news.
"I was crying because I was excited," Ashburne said. "He was trying to calm me down. But I could hear the smile on his face over the phone."
News researcher Jakon Hays contributed to this report.
Kristin Davis, (757) 222-5208, kristin.davis@pilotonline.com
Mike Saewitz, (757) 222-5207, mike.saewitz@pilotonline.com
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DanielL:
daniell, as always your comments on the Frederick issue are unhelpful and factually incorrect.
Firstly, Ryan Frederick did identify his target : it was an intruder forcing his way into Frederick's home. I'm not sure what more identification you feel a homeowner needs. Shall we stop and ask for name/rank/serial number whenever someone is forcing their way into our homes?
What of the .223 casing found at the scene? Will you hold the person who fired that shot to the same standards?
Secondly, your comment about needing to retreat as far as possible is simply incorrect. No requirement on a homeowner's part to retreat before using deadly force has ever been codified into law. No state Supreme Court decision has ever stated the issue conclusively either.
The police acted recklessly, and need to be reigned in to protect citizen and officer alike. I certainly hope Mr. Wright is up to the task.
In Ref. to annakingsley
The police dept. did not make the choice. The city manager makes the choice. He is the one who has the final say in who is chief. Do your research before you make a post.
Some Excellent Quotes To Remember...
Change is the Law of Life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future. John F. Kennedy
The ultimate message of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. Dr. Martin Luther King
Never should anyone be judged by the color of their skin but the content of their character. MLK
hjriver - just for the record
Let me agree that I am no fan of granting an individual a position based on race, and I believe the race card and cards just like it are used far to often and decided long ago to never defend the race issue because it can back fire on people very easily. I feel it, along with the sexual complaints are two of the most over-used cry baby points there are and have little respect for the low lifes that use them to get ahead when not justified. Now let me say that you can search the ends of the earth and never find a man that has more to offer than K. Wright. You can rest assured that regardless of color, he is the best Chesapeake could have picked to lead a department that has been in need of leadership. Take the time to read this post from the start, because I am one who felt the city needed to go outside to find a quality leader because I felt this man didn't have a chance of being picked to lead the department. Thank God they picked the best of the best within the department. Hats off Kelvin and I would say good luck, but you don't need it. You have yourself.
TO hjriver
Do you know this personally this man that's been appointed Chief? Have you viewed his work since 1982? Have you worked along side hime and do you know how hard he's worked to get where he is? Have you sat in his office and heard the vision, and drive this man is filled with? Until you've done all these things....don't make comments based on media reporting. Nuff said.
Congratulations Chief Wright!!! :-)
This couldn't have happened to a nicer and sincere professional person.
He is a very approachable likeable professional, and the City of Chesapeake should be glad that they made this decision.
I remember when he was a Captain and then a Major, and he always excels in being very personable and he is very intelligent, and continues his education as well to exceed or learn more constantly.
Good Luck and Prayers are being sent your way to help you in your decisions and new duties. I know your family is proud!! So are alot of Chesapeake Citizens!! God Bless!!
Stupidity or ingnorance?
It is really sad when I read the comments of a very few select small minded people, who constantly place their ingnorant and biased opinions for all to read. To assume that Chief Wright was given this great responsiblity because of affirmitive action is a excuse for certain members of the population to say, hey we are being treated unfairly. The fact of the matter remains that the over whelming majority of Police Officers in the country are white. But one is to believe that out of the very few minority Police Officers employed they cannot pass a test or have some type of criminal record. But the fact of the matter is that there are many whites who cannot pass test and have had criminal records, but you never hear of this. Also there have been plenty of whites that have been fired from law enforcement jobs because they have committed criminal acts, these incidents are either kept quiet, swept under the rug, or just shrugged off. But how ironic it is that when this happens to a white person they can easily obtain another Law Enforcement job after the offense because of the good old boy network, but minority Officers are blackballed by the system. Hire only the best of the best.
Ryan Fredrick poster child for gun control.
Ryan Fredrick is in jail because he belongs in jail. He is a poster child for the gun control fanatics. A big part of gun control is having your gun under control. He failed that test. You need to know what your target is first. You need to attempt to retreat whenever possible and if he would have backed up, at least long enough to see who was comming through the door, he could have taken aim and never pulled the trigger. No police officer dead and him quite possibly being charged with no more than posession of a couple joints. That's what I consider gun control. Once again a person, Ryan Fredrick, killed another person not the gun.
Meanwhile
Ryan Frederick sits in jail, unable to sleep, constantly looking over his shoulder, his life passing him by. I hope when he gets out, he sues the socks off this department.
Congrats Chief!!
Mazel Tov on the promotion!!
Now, will you PLEASE do something about our ugly uniforms???!!!???!!