INC NEWS - Message From New Police Chief

[RW Pickle]

Forwarded to the list per DPD.
RWP
27 Beverly
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Message to the Community from Chief Jose Lopez Sr.

 
I am proud and honored to have been selected as Durham’s new police chief
and I want to thank everyone for embracing me so warmly during my first
few weeks on the job. I want the community to get to know me and my
policing philosophy.

I was drawn to Durham for two reasons – the Durham Police Department and
the Durham community.

The Durham Police Department is a professional organization with many
strong programs and initiatives already in place. The employees, both
sworn and civilian, are hardworking and proud of the department and
community they serve.

My wife and I have quickly come to love the Durham community and look
forward to living here for many years. We have visited many neighborhoods
and met friendly, interesting people who welcomed us. Durham is a vibrant,
exciting community with much to offer and I am proud to now call it home.

>From what I have seen in the short time I have been here, one of Durham’s
major crime problems is the perception of crime. It is a city that faces
the same issues that other cities throughout the state and country also
face – gangs, drugs and violence. One difference is that in Durham people
talk about crime issues and concerns and don’t try to hide them.
Identifying problems and discussing them is the only way to actually solve
them – this community dialogue is a vital part of the process.

I am strong believer in the community policing philosophy and I want to
work closely with residents to enhance the quality of life in our city. I
expect my officers to get to know the people they serve and to work with
them to help identify and solve problems. Crime is not a problem that law
enforcement can solve by itself. We as a community must address the social
issues that are the root causes of crime. We must find ways to deal with
poverty, homelessness, unemployment and underemployment, dropouts and
other issues that lead to crime. We must engage government officials and
agencies, community organizations, churches, business leaders, schools and
residents in the effort to tackle these issues.

I want there to be mutual sharing of information between the Police
Department and members of the community. We must trust each other in order
to fight crime more effectively. I plan to be open with the community
about issues when appropriate and I will use our website, the media,
listservs and other avenues to distribute information.

I want the community to know that I expect my officers to be accountable
for what they do and that accountability extends all the way up to the
position of chief of police. One of the first steps I have taken as the
new chief is to put citizen complaint forms and officer commendation forms
online so that citizens can have easy access to them. These forms are also
available at the front desk at Durham Police Headquarters.

I will take a thorough look at the Durham Police Department’s current
programs and initiatives to see what works and what doesn’t. I plan to
continue the strong working relationships the Durham Police Department has
with other law enforcement agencies. The Police Department has 11 officers
assigned to seven federal task forces, which have provided invaluable
assistance in recent years.

I also will take a no-tolerance policy on gang activity and violence in
our community. Our department has a well-trained gang unit and we are an
integral part of GangNet, a program which provides tracking information on
gang members and gang activity. Our officers don’t just focus on
enforcement; we also have gang officers who will give gang prevention
programs to civic groups, church groups and others who may be interested
in this information.

I will continue to support the efforts of Operation Bull’s Eye which seeks
to make a positive difference in the community in partnership with other
City/County departments along with community agencies. Operation Bull’s
Eye is a yearlong initiative that focuses on a two-square-mile area with
high concentrations of violent gun crime, “shots fired” calls and
documented gang members. The initiative focuses on intervention and
prevention strategies as well as enforcement actions.

As your new police chief, I plan to spend my first few months in the
position getting to know my department and my community. I want to hear
from my officers and from the community about any issues and concerns they
may have. Together, we can make Durham a great place to live, work and
play.

Biography

Chief Lopez, 53, was born in Brooklyn, New York.

He joined the Hartford, Ct., Police Department in 1983 and recently
retired as assistant chief. He had served as chief of detectives and chief
of patrol.

Chief Lopez served in the U.S. Air Force as a law enforcement specialist
and was honorably discharged in 1980. He has a Bachelor of Science degree
in criminal justice with a minor in police science from John Jay College
of Criminal Justice. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the
Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University.

He has been married to retired Hartford Police Officer Rebecca Lopez for
32 years and they have two grown children. The Lopezes were sworn in by
Hartford police on the same day in 1983. Chief Lopez is fluent in Spanish.