Troy Williams: Gina Hawkins broke barriers as Fayetteville police chief
When Fayetteville City Manager Doug Hewett hired Gina V. Hawkins as chief of police in August 2017, it was a bold move.
Hawkins is the first woman to hold the position. There are more than 3,685 chiefs of police currently employed in the United States, 8.3% of them are women, while 91.7% are men. Hawkins, a Panamanian/African-American woman, was the best candidate for the job. With almost three decades behind the badge, she started her career in the Atlanta police department, and after 18 years of service, rose to the rank of assistant zone commander.
Later, she served as a deputy chief with the Clayton County Police Department in Georgia. Hawkins is a graduate of the FBI National Associates Academy and an alumna of the Executive Education program at the Harvard Kennedy School. She holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Georgia State University and a master's in management from John Hopkins University.
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After five years in office, Hawkins is retiring from the job this month, matching the average tenure of most police chiefs from four to six years. Police work is demanding, especially when the top leaders face relentless public scrutiny as they try to navigate the realm of general influences and retain their mission and character.
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Sadly, only a few police executives have job protection, which needs to change. Police chiefs know somebody can easily replace them. Political whim and public opinion can unseat a police chief overnight.
Chief Hawkins inherited a police department with a workable relationship with the community from her predecessor, but that was destined to change because no one could have predicted the negative impact of the murder of George Floyd, which ignited a mass movement centered on police violence against African Americans. Floyd’s death sparked a global public discourse and activism around racial justice.
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Policing was challenged with widespread civil unrest and instantaneous cries to “defund” and even “dismantle” the police. Hawkins’ leadership got Fayetteville to the other side of that part of history, mostly unscathed, avoiding loss of life and many of the challenges other cities faced. However, she still had her share of critics.
City Manager Doug Hewett said: “I know we were blessed to have her as chief for the last five and half years. I thank Chief Hawkins for her committed service, wish her well and look forward to seeing her continue to flourish in her career.”
Chief Hawkins cracked the glass ceiling that used to hang over Fayetteville for people of color and women in law enforcement. Hawkins said: “Serving as the chief of police in the All-American City of Fayetteville was an honor. There is so much work to do in keeping our community safer and bridging the gap in community trust. I know we are stronger and more knowledgeable as a community, and I pray Fayetteville continues to show the rest of the world examples of what working together looks like.”
The message is clear: As police professionals, women are different from men; nothing negative or necessarily positive — just different. Today’s female law enforcement professional’s ability to succeed knows no limits.
Troy Williams is a member of The Fayetteville Observer Community Advisory Board. He is a legal analyst and criminal defense investigator. He can be reached at talk2troywilliams@yahoo.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Gina Hawkins broke barriers as Fayetteville police chief
