Mayor expresses hope Natchez police chief stays

NATCHEZ, Miss. –The mayor said he hopes Natchez Police Chief Joseph Daughtry won’t resign to become head of the Columbus Police Department. Daughtry is one of three finalists for the job in the north Mississippi city.

“I want him to stay in Natchez,” said Mayor Dan Gibson. “I hope he continues to serve in Natchez.”

However, Gibson acknowledged Daughtry is widely known as a talented law-enforcement leader who other cities want to hire. “His record speaks for itself,” the mayor said.

Daughtry was interviewed by the Columbus City Council last week. He said Tuesday he hasn’t been told whether he’s getting the job.  The council is reportedly meeting Friday and could decide who to hire as Columbus’ police chief.

Daughtry is in contention for the Columbus job against an Omaha, Neb., county chief deputy sheriff and a retired Chattanooga, Tenn., assistant police chief, according to The Commercial Dispatch of Columbus.

The Natchez Board of Aldermen hired Daughtry in December 2020 as the city’s top cop with an annual salary of $75,000. He was previously Pelahatchie’s police chief.  He’s currently president of the Mississippi Association of Chiefs of Police.

Daughtry attended Tuesday’s meeting of the Natchez mayor and Board of Aldermen. They did not discuss any efforts that could entice Daughtry to stay here as chief other than Gibson expressing his continued support for him.

The mayor cited improvements made at the Natchez Police Department – such as the recruitment of more police officers – since Daughtry became chief. “I’d like to see that continue under your watch,” Gibson told him.

Daughtry presented the mayor and aldermen details about a $768,000 federal grant awarded Monday to Natchez to hire seven police officers to help patrol Natchez-Adams County public school campuses. This requires $256,000 in local funds that the board will consider how to come up with before deciding whether to accept the Department of Justice grant.