The small town of Kenly, North Carolina recently hired a black female town manager and all five full-time police officers quit shortly thereafter. This is being spun in the media as an accusation of racism. The problem with that is that there is no evidence of racism. Kenly is a small town in a southern state, but it is actually very racially diverse. The town has equal parts black and white at 36% each. Twenty percent of Kenly is Hispanic. This is not a town that has never seen a black person before. Kenly is also in eastern North Carolina right off of interstate 95. People from all over the eastern seaboard drive through the town and probably stop for gas or something to eat.
Kenly’s former Police Chief says he quit due to chronic understaffing and a toxic work environment. Only five full-time officers, including the chief, were employed by the local police force before they all resigned. The town was supposed to have eight full-time officers employed at all times. That hadn’t been the case for months. Understaffing is an issue that the entire country is dealing with and it goes beyond law enforcement. The pre-existing problem was apparently compounded by the new town manager creating a “toxic” work environment for the officers. The specifics of said “toxicity” was not revealed due to pending litigation.
Although the media would like to portray this story as one of racism, little evidence actually supports that claim. The only thing that can be said is that the new town manager is black and the five officers who quit were white. This ignores the reasons the officers gave and accuses them of being villains. Maybe that’s not the case. The police chief had been in Kenly for many years. He was beloved by the town. So why is he all of a sudden a racist? It doesn’t make any sense. The media seems to have seized upon this story to create clicks and views for their dying, untrustworthy format.
SOURCES:
Entire police force in one North Carolina town resigns over work environment | WLOS
Kenly Police Quit Claiming Town Manager Created ‘Hostile’ Workplace
Whole North Carolina Police Department Quits Due to ‘Progressively Responsible’ Town Manager
A North Carolina city hired a Black town manager. Then its entire police force resigned.
Kenly’s entire police department resigns
Emergency council meeting called after entire Kenly Police Department resigns
A North Carolina city hired a Black town manager. Then its entire police force resigned.
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