Before a recent Richmond City Council meeting, I observed Police Chief Alfred Durham standing among other city administration officials. With hat in hand, he left the group and walked across the chamber to shake hands with a patrolman on his assigned post. His actions were a true representation of leadership and teamwork. Can you imagine the morale that inspires?

In a few weeks, Chief Durham will have completed one year as head of Richmond’s police department. From my personal observations and professional evaluation as a retired Richmond officer, Chief Durham is a keeper.

For more than a decade, the department has experienced some degree of tailspinning. The rank and file never settled down to an established style of leadership because of repeated changes of the guard at the top. Politics that is prevalent in law enforcement agencies can compromise the traditions of serving all citizens with equal police protection and service. I don’t see Chief Durham toting around a political attaché case.

My compliments to Mayor Dwight C. Jones on selecting Chief Durham. He is focused on making Richmond safer and enhancing the appearance and professionalism of his officers on the street. His mere presence throughout the city is a reinforcement to the department, applying a team concept. He would tell you that you cannot read your people and learn this city hibernating at police headquarters.

Richmond is fortunate in many regards. By comparison, we have a far better police-community relationship than many cities in America. As we have witnessed, that can vanish between two sunrises. In times of tension, our chief is the right man at the helm.

So to the folks in Richmond, I say keep him! Give him and his department what they need to provide the best — equipment and training to serve us well. This week, contact him with praise and thanks, wishing him a happy and successful new year.

Like football and basketball coaches, police chiefs acquire a certain level of competitive value as their careers bolt them into a higher percentage of wins or policing a community with fewer murders and low crime rates. Our chief is right there in the mix.

Never rule out the possibility that some months down the road, a city or state will come beckoning, attempting to lure Chief Durham away. Do not let that happen. He is essential to keeping our police department at its finest. We need him to shine on this capital city for a long time!

GLENWOOD W. BURLEY

Richmond