https://nypost.com/2022/07/22/...n&utm_medium=website

An entire North Carolina police force has quit in protest at the town’s newly hired “progressively responsible” town manager — who the police chief said created a “hostile work environment.”

Kenly Police Chief Josh Gibson made the shocking announcement in a Facebook post on Thursday, saying the assistant town manager and a key clerk had joined him and his five officers in quitting in protest.

“I have put in my 2 weeks notice along with the whole police dept.,” he wrote of the force he has served with for 21 years.

“The new manager has created an environment I do not feel we can perform our duties and services to the community,” he wrote of Justine Jones, who took up the position early last month.

He made it official with a formal letter of resignation to Jones herself, according to a copy obtained by WRAL.

Noting that he was “the longest running chief” in the area, he said he felt his force had recently “made substantial progress” in dealing with unspecified “ups and downs.”

“However, due to the hostile work environment in the Town of Kenly, I do not believe progress is possible,” he told Jones, without identifying her as the source of his complaint as he had done on social media.

Neither the post nor his letter spelled out specific grievances the officers had against Jones. However, the exiting police chief told WRAL he would consider staying if Jones was dismissed.

The town called a closed emergency meeting for Friday night.


New Kenly town manager Justine Jones.

From the Daily Mail:https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11040329/Small-North-Carolina-towns-ENTIRE-police-department-quit-day-hostile-town-manager.html

Jones, a middle-aged black woman, sued her previous employer - Richland County, South Carolina - for gender and racial discrimination after her firing. The suit says she worked as manager of research and was an assistant director.

During her tenure with the county, she alleged 'hostile' treatment by and retaliation for reporting bad behavior by other city workers and that she was not paid fairly and was treated differently due to illness. The suit did not specify what illness she was referring to.

Jones was fired on March 30, 2015 - months before the suit was filed - and the lawsuit was dismissed later that year. Court records do not reveal on what grounds the case was dismissed.

Jones was selected by the Kenly town council after a 'nationwide search' of 30 candidates, officials said in a press release last month.

She's worked in public service for the past 16 years, all in local governments, in Minnesota, Virginia, South Carolina, and now North Carolina.

Let’s hope she gets her walking papers tonight.

Why would a town of less than 1400 need a city manager?

Kenly is a nice small town. Agreed, not large enough for another political managerial position.

Red Flag: Multiple jobs in multiple cities. Wear out your welcome and move on.

I get that people move and change jobs—but with a record of suing employers for unspecified “discrimination”, the town council made a poor decision to hire her. I mean, aren’t there candidates who didn’t sue their former employer they could have picked?

I only tens of millions....

quote:

Originally posted by kr350psd:
Why would a town of less than 1400 need a city manager?

I might also suggest a town of 1,400 can't afford to fund a PD either.

This woman appears to be quite the 'professional'.

Kenly is just south on US 301 from the town where I worked for a career. I would bet my retirement check she was hired by the town council to show their “wokeness”. Then as soon as she was hired she began telling the police that they couldn’t police anymore…hands off, let things slide, those black folks have been under your police jackboot for too long……those kind of things.

And because the town council didn’t think things thru one of three things will happen:
1. The will knee jerk fire her, and the town taxpayers will end up footing the bill.
2. They will have to pay her out for her contract- completely
3. They will full embrace her and her wokeness and begin destroying the town due to the new policies

People who wind up on town council in and around eastern NC are usually a few of the really rich names who have inherited money from past family who also developed the same town and/or they are a part of the black community who was installed to help steer the community by the black city councilman.

Happens all the time there. These councilmen are the same people who say “do you know who I am” when they are stopped for (insert traffic offense here) and begin naming names of local judges and chiefs of police or mayors…

Kenly is a poor town and can’t afford what is about to happen to it. But they got what they wanted in their “forward thinking”. And the taxpayers will suffer for it.

The cops will be fine, they can get jobs anywhere in the area as the state runs the retirement for cops/firemen/teachers…

When she is fired from the city mgr position, ka-ching another lawsuit.

She looks clean and articulate.

The above link to the Post adds that the Sheriffs department will be “picking up the slack” for the missing city officers. The sheriff does not answer to this twat. It sounds like a problem that will solve itself unless the “progressive” manager fans the leftist flames of outrage locally.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
She looks clean and articulate.

-Joe Biden Jan 2007 re: Obama

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
The above link to the Post adds that the Sheriffs department will be “picking up the slack” for the missing city officers. The sheriff does not answer to this twat. It sounds like a problem that will solve itself unless the “progressive” manager fans the leftist flames of outrage locally.

Wonder if any officers were hired there?

I knew I heard that name before

After doing a little research...

“She began her municipal career as the Executive Assistant to the City Manager and National Urban Fellow in the City of Norfolk, Virginia”.


For the life of me I cannot remember or find why she left Norfolk.

I mean Norfolk is Norfolk.
Who did she piss on/off. She could have rode the role to retirement..

Also She Jones has two Master's degrees, one in public policy from the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota and a second Master’s degree in public administration from the City University of New York Baruch College.

With her being able to check the special box, and her education why would she pick that little town?

Hmm..

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
I would bet my retirement check she was hired by the town council to show their “wokeness”.

Yep, 100% diversity hire. And she's bringing a big city leftist agenda to a tiny town.

Unfortunately, it will all come down to race.

Another individual who confused being a leader with being an asshole. This story will have legs, looking forward to hearing the story.

I know zilch about town management or how towns hire and fire people, but I wonder: if the actions of an individual in leadership lead to an entire department (and then some) leaving, does the town itself have any recourse upon the "leader?"

Essentially: "You cost us an entire department; now you must leave us as well."

I figure if I p155ed off my entire department and they left, the organization would can me "quicker than a cat can lick its butt."
Do/can towns work that way too?

She is seething with toxicity.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
I know zilch about town management or how towns hire and fire people, but I wonder: if the actions of an individual in leadership lead to an entire department (and then some) leaving, does the town itself have any recourse upon the "leader?"

Essentially: "You cost us an entire department; now you must leave us as well."

I figure if I p155ed off my entire department and they left, the organization would can me "quicker than a cat can lick its butt."
Do/can towns work that way too?

The 'Town Manager' in question 'may' have a contract, but regardless, employment in the public sector is NOT like employment in the private sector, and likely NOT 'At Will Employment' anyway. Of course there's also this little tidbit...

quote:

"Jones, a middle-aged black woman, sued her previous employer - Richland County, South Carolina - for gender and racial discrimination after her firing."

Apparently this individual has a track record, and it's probably a safe bet she'd make the same claim if dismissed for ANY reason!