PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth’s new Interim Police Chief Angela Greene addressed the public today about the cloud that surrounds former chief Tonya Chapman’s resignation.
“It is a distraction. It has taken away from the great work that these officers have done over the past few years. It has taken away from the great work and the vision we want to go forward,” said Greene.
In a letter, Chapman claimed she was forced to resign. She also claimed that in her 30 years of law enforcement she’s never seen such systematic racism and abuse of authority within a department, a culture she was trying to change. However, Chief Greene said she doesn’t see the department the same way.
“I can’t tell you what [Chapman] felt, what she might have gone through. My experience here in almost three years, I do not see that. I do not see that as a perception. I do not see that as a problem here,” said Greene.
“If there is an issue with any particular officer, that officer is addressed immediately. If I feel like there is a systemic issue or an issue more widely than one individual officer, that’s when we bring in training,” said Greene.
Community members said the forum was a nice try but their concerns are as strong as ever.
“It seems to me like it’s being blown over. We will never get rid of systemic racism if we don’t talk about it and if we don’t admit that it still happens,” said Crystal Briscon.
“We want direct answers from her saying, 'We know about it. We are going to fix it,' but we have this fairy tale atmosphere saying, ‘Hey it’s a utopia in the Portsmouth Police Department,’ and that’s not the case,” said James Boyd President of the NAACP Portsmouth.