Portsmouth’s new police chief, the city’s 3rd since 2019, has plans for the challenges his department is facing
Portsmouth Police Chief Renado Prince said most officers with long careers in law enforcement have an “a-ha” moment where they finally understand the job and realize they “don’t ever want to leave.”
His came when he was an officer in Wilmington, North Carolina, and a woman stopped him while he was working at a festival. Prince didn’t recognize her at first — by then he’d responded to thousands of calls involving even more people.
She reminded him that, about five years prior, her father took his own life. Prince had brought her to a relative’s house and talked with her until she could process the grief. She thanked him for staying with her and showing concern for her well-being.
“I was just doing my job, but there are those little moments that make such a major impact on people,” he said in an interview.
Prince has led Portsmouth’s police force for about two weeks, and in his three years as an assistant chief, he saw firsthand the challenges the city and the department are facing — violent crime that’s drawn residents to demand action, a diminishing police force, accusations of racism in the department and the ongoing pandemic.
City Manager Angel Jones said that familiarity was a major factor in her decision to promote Prince, who has nearly 40 years of law enforcement experience and was previously chief at the Jacksonville, North Carolina, airport.
Prince emphasized rebuilding trust in the community as a key part of addressing those challenges. He said a “human touch” is essential.
When he was sworn in, Prince said officers would be returning to neighborhoods — not just when someone dials 911. He said community service and cleanup projects can go a long way to building relationships, along with youth sports and volunteering programs.
“We’re going to be getting out of the cars, we’re going to be walking around talking to people and trying to make ourselves known. We’ve got to break down those barriers that are associated with this blue uniform,” he said — the police officer ethos should be that of a guardian, not a warrior.
Prince laid out a vision of public safety that stretched well beyond law enforcement and said he was open to reforms that would bring in social workers, social services and other trained professionals who are equipped to respond to some of the calls police frequently handle. He pledged to work with the community groups that have been calling for action to curb shootings and other violence, particularly involving youth.
As community groups and activists have held demonstrations and spoken to the City Council, city officials and Prince have called on residents to step up and talk with law enforcement when they have information. Prince hopes community policing lays the groundwork for that relationship.
When there is a shooting, the police will visit communities to talk with residents — not just to see if they know something, but to see how they feel and if there’s anything more they want from their officers.
Right now, however, Prince acknowledges it may not be possible to do all the community work he would like. At the end of 2020, Interim Police Chief Scott Burke said Portsmouth had 192 officers — nearly 70 less than what would be considered a fully staffed department.
Prince said Jones and city staff are “trying to do better with pay, incentives and benefits,” but nobody has provided official changes to police salaries. They have said that Portsmouth doesn’t have the resources to offer, for example, a $5,000 signing bonus, as Virginia Beach did recently.
So Prince and the department are trying to attract recruits by showing the impact they could make. That means sharing stories when officers do well and asking potential officers how they can make a difference. To retain officers, Prince said there has to be clear opportunities for career development. He also wants to have employee appreciation events and find ways to reward good work, possibly through additional time off.
The department has had a tumultuous few years. Prince is the third chief since 2019, and Burke led the department on an interim basis for a year.
Former Chief Tonya Chapman, who hired Prince, raised allegations of systemic racism within the department and said she was forced to resign after she tried to modernize Portsmouth’s police culture. Prince called himself a “Chapman product” and said she was a great chief. He added that he felt his work was a continuation of many of her initiatives.
Angela Greene, who replaced Chapman from within the department, was fired last year. That same day, a judge dismissed controversial felony charges Portsmouth police filed against state Sen. Louise Lucas and 18 others stemming from a protest at the city’s Confederate monument. Greene has since sued the city and others, alleging wrongful termination and defamation. While she was chief, she also said she didn’t see the culture of racism that Chapman described.
“There is racism in the (department),” Prince said. He said racism and prejudice are persistent issues in all organizations and that Portsmouth’s issues have been highlighted. “Every officer here has biases, and I would say that sometimes those biases are acted upon ... but I don’t think it’s an everyday occurrence.”
Prince said police have to embrace the need to train and be aware of cultural biases that may affect how they do their jobs. Officers who treat people disrespectfully or unfairly because of their background will be fired. He also said he will fire any liars. Mistakes are inevitable, Prince said, but there would be consequences for those knowingly and willingly stepping out of line.
Part of enforcing that standard is making sure all officers feel empowered to intervene and report if they see another officer, even a superior, acting improperly. Prince plans to implement a training program by Georgetown Law School focused on that type of intervention.
As he was sworn in Sept. 4, Prince stressed accountability to officers and various officials and residents in the room. Not only would officers who broke the public’s trust lose their badge, their badge would be destroyed. “I take this seriously,” he said tapping on his own. “I won’t pass that on.”
Josh Reyes, 757-247-4692, joreyes@dailypress.com
