The police force in the small town of Kenly, North Carolina, quit in a mass resignation just months after hiring its First Black town manager.
Justine Jones, who has worked for 16 years in local governments in Minnesota, Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina, was selected after a national hunt of 30 nominees.
However, on Wednesday afternoon—two months after Jones was employed, Kenly’s police chief, four full-time officers and two town clerks quit their jobs—some specifically naming Jones as the reason for their resignation.
Kenly resident Denise Bennett stated she does not think Jones, who began her job on 2nd June, has had the chance to create connections yet.
“One of my questions is, what happened between May and July?” asked Bennett. “It takes time when you get a new boss. We want to ensure that the process is fair, and this ultimatum of her versus him as a police chief is not a good process.”
Another resident, Christel McGowan, held a sign outside of the meeting reading, “Save Kenly, Fire Town Manager.” according to reports, she desires the Town Council will back the officers and sack Jones.
“They’ve been here over 20 years. This woman comes in, and I have a lot to say, but I can’t,” McGowan said. “She sued Virginia, South Carolina, and I wouldn’t doubt it if she sues us.” She added, “We don’t need to … let everybody walk out because this woman has a hard time managing, and that I know for a fact.”
McGowan didn’t give details on what makes Jones a poor manager.
Jones has two pending lawsuits against a previous employer for racial and gender prejudice after being fired in 2015,
Other residents say that the whole matter is racial because the officers who quit are white men, and Jones is a Black woman.
“They don’t want to be led by anybody Black; that’s Kenly,” Kirby said. “They’re always harassing Black people. It’s racial. I hope this doesn’t end in her quitting because that’s not right. You can’t judge anybody because they make you do your job.”
In a statement, Sheriff Steve Bizzell said the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office would defend and serve Kenly as long as the town needs.
Heather Johnson said she wasn’t very concerned about security because the small town “only has one officer on duty most of the time.”
Johnson said:
“I’m hoping they can resolve this in a professional manner where whatever changes need to happen,” “and we can walk away as a community with no hard feelings and with nobody dramatizing or with a plan. We want to be safe in Kenly.
