NATCHEZ, Miss. – Mayor Dan Gibson and aldermen are looking for a new Natchez police chief after Cal Green announced Tuesday she plans to retire after three years in the post.
However, the mayor and aldermen argued over how to start finding a replacement after Gibson said he wanted preference given to someone already working in the Natchez Police Department. Aldermen were so sharply divided that Gibson had to break a 3-3 tie vote just to begin seeking candidates.
Green said she’ll remain on the job indefinitely to give city officials time to conduct what will likely be a trying process for them to agree on who to appoint as her successor. “I hope you’re not in a hurry because it’ll take some time,” Gibson told Green.
She was appointed Natchez’ first female police chief in 2023 after Joseph Daughtry resigned to take over the Columbus Police Department. Green said she’s now ready for the pension-paying retirement she’s earned after nearly 29 years with the NPD and Adams County Sheriff’s Office.
The tie-broken vote Tuesday to begin searching for a new chief had Gibson joining aldermen Valencia Hall, Sarah Carter Smith and Curtis Moroney in favor while aldermen Billie Joe Frazier, Felicia Bridgewater Irving and Ben Davis were against taking this step. The three dissenting aldermen said they want more discussions before seeking candidates in a process they contended shouldn’t be tilted toward promoting someone from within the NPD. However, Smith stressed that “anyone can apply – including from within.”
The discord displayed Tuesday evening by Gibson and aldermen prompted the mayor to pound his gavel to quell it. “I’m calling for order. … I will not stand for any more grandstanding,” Gibson said.
This reprises the 2023 search process leading up to Green’s appointment as police chief. The mayor had to break 3-3 tie votes in a process limited to only NPD officers. Three aldermen wanted to open it up to more candidates. Green served as interim chief for two months before the board finally voted 5-1 to make her permanent.
Gibson and aldermen expressed appreciation Tuesday for Green’s service as concerns about violent crime have heightened in Natchez the past few months.
“You’ve been fantastic. I appreciate your 28-and-a-half years of service to this community,” Gibson told Green. “There are a lot of people who hate to see you go.”
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