Bobby Dodd Has Done A Great Job As Chattanooga Police Chief - And Response (4)

  • Saturday, April 13, 2013

I agree with the overwhelming majority that voted on the Chattanoogan poll who believe that Bobby Dodd should stay in place as Police Chief.

Dodd has done a great job and is taking the Chattanooga Police Department in the right direction. I feel much safer taking my family downtown at night with Bobby Dodd at the helm than without.

Like so many others, I hope for Chief Dodd to stay.

Trevor Fuller
Soddy Daisy

* * *

I agree totally. Chief Bobby Dodd has done a great job for Chattanooga.

As a resident living in East Lake - a very high crime area in Chattanooga - there are still issues in East Lake, but they have improved since Chief Dodd has been in charge of the Police Department.

No one can get everything perfect, but Chief Dodd gives a hands-on look at every situation regardless of how large or small. He has been Chattanooga's best chief in years, so stand behind him, Mayor Berke, and move East Lake and Chattanooga forward.

Chattanooga will be very grateful to you, Mayor.

Chris Stapp

East Lake

* * *

Keep Chief Bobby Dodd, Mayor Andy Berke. Chief Dodd has 25 years of experience at the Chattanooga Police Department. I have known him for 25 years and worked with him while we were both sergeants in the burglary and robbery division. He will do an excellent job for your administration. He knows the city of Chattanooga and is extremely intelligent. He knows about all the high-crime spots in the city.

As I have said before, Chattanooga has a crime problem with gangs and other criminals ripping, robbing, burglarizing and murdering citizens. Mayor, I am a retired detective sergeant and a retired Hamilton County Park Ranger with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Department and now a businessman in North Georgia. I have 35 years of law enforcement experience and I know what I am talking about.

If you remember, I am the one who talked to you about running for mayor a little over a year ago. Chief Dodd has also brought the morale up for the Chattanooga Police Department.

Mayor Andy Berke, please keep Chief Bobby Dodd as the chief for the Chattanooga Police Department. This is the voice of experience speaking to you.

 
Sergeant Ralph Brown Retired Chattanooga Police Department

Flintstone, Ga.

* * *

As the politics of friends and supporters have begun to sway for Mayor-elect Berke to keep Chief Dodd at the helm of the Chattanooga Police Department, I with no negative nor positive input at this time but with years of experience offer that appointing the Chief Of Police because of politics is a losing proposition for the citizens of Chattanooga. This major appointment should be based on facts, past accomplishments and knowledge of how best to reduce crime and disorder in city, not based on politics.

The position should be based on who can best bring the citizens together under a community policing format, foster community involvement and support and promote an organization of proactive community service and not just create a reactive law enforcement response while moving friends forward to enhance their pension payments. 

The last two mayors selected chiefs simply on politics and on occasion in these years against city charter, city code, ( lack of college degree, lack of city residency, etc.) simply because of politics, therefore I submit to Mayor-elect Berke that if one position in his administration shall not be politically based for his Renew Chattanooga is the selection of his Chief Of Police.

As this administration moves forward, law enforcement nor the safety of our citzens can be about politics, it must be about our future, it has to be on the forefront.

The thin blue line needs expanding into a community blue line to serve, reduce crime and enhance citizen involvement and move Chattanooga forward.

Chattanooga is not yet mafia country, where crime is always targeted, but seems to have become the norm reporting / excuses for the lack of law enforcement responses as has become the new norm for news reports for the lack of proactive approaches for police services.

Mayor Berke, choose wisely. Look beyond what's current and look beyond local politics. If the current offers and presents the best course, so be it, but explore to find the best options to create a 21st century proactive police department and to eliminate the current reactive enforcement that this city has seen and lived with over the last two administrations.

Charles Cooke, Retired Deputy Chief

 * * *

Mr. Mayor, consider chiefs from outside the area. In a large corporation when a person is promoted to a management position they are moved to a new city. The reason is because it is a new start without an old boy system.

Where we are today was arrived at with the help of old leadership and you seem to be looking for new ideas and ways to implement them. You should consider a new course with new leadership without the good old boy system.

An old saying that should be considered, " If you always do what was always done, you will always get what was always got." Please consider this as in the past there have been chiefs that held the positions for many, many years and did a good job staying in one place like always.

N.D. Kennedy Sr.

Ooltewah

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