When you are a newsman in this community, you hope for law enforcement leaders like Kem Braden.
Leaders who are upfront with the media when it comes to crime, and, more important, as candid as they can be with residents of the community, who just wish for a safe place to go about their daily lives in peace.
Braden, 48, is the 25th city police chief.
“I've been asked a lot of questions over the past several weeks and several days about what do I plan on doing,” Braden was saying on Feb. 3, when he was sworn in to succeed Gina Hawkins, who served 5½ years. “What changes am I going to make? And that’s all yet to be determined. I’m not trying to rush into anything too fast. I truly want to take my time and figure out the things that need to happen so that we can be effective in moving forward as an agency and as a community.”
Apparently, Braden is figuring it out. And part of the process is developing a strong working relationship with news outlets that report on the Police Department, particularly the criminal element in this community from property crimes, domestic violence, assaults and armed robberies to those homicides that seem to unfold one after another.
Hawkins never did seem comfortable with the media, whether it was a news conference about May 30, 2020, when provocateurs went on a rampage and damaged the historic Market House during a protest of the murder of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis police officers; the shooting death investigation of her department when an off-duty Cumberland County deputy took the life of Jason Walker on Jan. 8, 2022, in west Fayetteville; and later that month when Hawkins faced allegations of ethical violations by 13 members of the Police Department. Hawkins was exonerated of all eight complaints by the Fayetteville Ethics Commission.
We never did learn just what happened regarding the 15-year-old daughter of a Fayetteville City Council member who lost her life in a shooting on Oct. 21, 2022, also in west Fayetteville.
“The new chief has a lot of damage control to do,” Michael Pinkston, an unsuccessful candidate for the City Council and outspoken critic of Hawkins, said in February. “Nobody trusted Hawkins toward the end.”
‘Building our relationship with you’
Braden, much like former Police Chief Harold Medlock, is of a different ilk than Hawkins. With 27 years as a city police officer, he has the confidence of the men and women serving under him, and there seems to be an air of trust from the community.
And now with the media — the reporters who ask the questions when crime rears its ugly head.
“Due to the recent changes within our PIO unit, we would like to work on building our relationship with you, our local media outlets,” Sgt. Alpha Caldwell with the Office of Community Affairs, wrote in an email last week. “We would like to know what your expectations are of us and how we can facilitate those expectations. … Thank you for all you do to keep us and our communities informed. Be safe.”
Call this welcome news.
“Bobby, how about if I attend this for us,” I sent in an email to our CityView Media editor, Bobby Parker. “Or do you wish to do it?”
“Yes, I think it would be good if you were there,” he emailed back. “I may end up going as well.”
‘I wanted to reach out’
We media folks cannot expect police to give every detail of an active investigation, and for the most part, our Fayetteville Police Department has acquitted itself well in keeping residents and the public at large informed of crime. Among those police officers who have done their jobs well are Todd Joyce, now an assistant police chief, and public information officers Jeremy Glass, Jeremy Strickland, and now Officer Alexandria Pecia and Sgt. Caldwell.
Not, however, in every case.
There just too often were times when CityView Media was told to submit Freedom of Information inquiries for simple questions concerning crime statistics that were time-sensitive for deadline stories.
Our news media call is to ask questions. After all, news reporters from print to broadcast to telecast are charged with being the eyes and ears of city and county and community crime, and imparting that news to you.
Chief Kemberle Braden appears to understand.
“I wanted to reach out to discuss expectations media has for the Police Department specifically surrounding notifications and press releases,” Braden told CityView on Friday. “Seeking to understand and manage expectations as our PIO unit moves forward with a relatively new staff.”
Epilogue
Many of us knew from first meeting with Braden that he would be a police chief who would make a difference in this city and community, and Braden has yet to fail us. He even rappelled his way without fail Saturday down the Medical Arts Building, too, without a hitch to raise money for United Way of Cumberland County.
Cumberland County Sheriff Ennis Wright would do well to follow the police chief’s lead in cultivating a better and more open relationship with the media, too.
Along Breezewood Avenue and CityView’s executive offices and newsroom, we look forward to meeting with our city police chief and working with Kemberle Braden for a safer city for all of us.
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961.
