J. David BishopCLEVELAND, Tenn. – At least one Cleveland City Council member is concerned about Friday’s hiring of Capt. J. David Bishop as the city’s new police chief.
“I don’t know if he is the right one to hold [the police department] together,” said Councilman George Poe, admitting he does not know Bishop very well. “I just hope he can keep a 10-year track record like [former Chief Wes] Snyder.”
City Manager Janice Casteel, who annouced her decision to hire Bishop on Friday, said she is confident in his ability to lead a progressive department.
“His strong leadership abilities will strengthen the accountability within the Cleveland Police Department, and I look forward to working with him to achieve his goals for the department,” she said.
Poe said decisions about the city’s police chief should be in the hands of the City Council, because those elected officials are the voice of the people.