[9/21/01]Vicksburg Police Chief Mitchell Dent will be replaced with the former chief of the Biloxi police department, a move Dent says is not a surprise.

Mayor Laurence Leyens confirmed Thursday that city officials have been working to replace Dent and have selected Tommie Moffett, 51, who has been chief in Mississippi’s fourth-largest city.

No vote has been taken by the city board to make the change, but one is expected, perhaps Tuesday or in two weeks, after the new fiscal year starts.

“We want to bring the department in a new direction,” Leyens said. “Tommie Moffett has a reputation as being extraordinarily strict and that’s what we need.”

Leyens said that Dent was informed about the decision last week and that it will be up to the new chief to offer Dent another position in the department or to recommend his firing.

Moffett was not available today, and Leyens declined to reveal the pay he was offered. South Ward Alderman Sid Beauman said he believes Moffett will be paid $80,000, but did not know a final figure.

Officials’ salaries are public record. Moffett’s pay as police chief in Biloxi was $62,338 a year. Dent’s current pay is reported at $52,400 a year.

Dent, 45, who has been head of the Vicksburg Department since February 2000 when he succeeded former Chief Charles Chisley after his retirement, said he is not upset about being replaced.

“There’s really no need to get upset,” he said.

Dent said that he has known and admired Moffett for years and that Moffett is one of the two people in law enforcement in Mississippi he admires the most. The other is Greenville Police Chief Marvin Minor.

“(Moffett) has impeccable credentials and admirable integrity,” Dent said.

Moffett announced last week that he planned to retire after 29 years with the Biloxi Police Department. He began his career there in 1972 as a reserve officer and worked his way up through the ranks.

In 1986, he became Biloxi’s first black police chief, but was replaced by a new mayor in 1989. Four years later, he was placed back at the helm of the department on the recommendation of federal, regional and local law enforcement leaders. Biloxi, nearly twice the size of Vicksburg, has 48,000 residents.

North Alderman Gertrude Young said today that she supports the change in leadership at the police department and believes that a position will be found for Dent “somewhere in the system.”

She voted for Dent to become chief during the past administration, but agreed a person from outside the department should be brought in now. “I think in regards to the plans to cut back the police department that Chief Dent is so close to everybody that it will be easier if we have someone from the outside,” Young said.

Beauman described Moffett as “a good man with good references and a tough disciplinarian.”

Not only was Moffett checked out thoroughly, Beauman indicated, but the chief-designate also checked out Vicksburg. “After our interview, I understand he went to the police department to meet with Dent,” Beauman said. “Mitchell was definitely aware we were looking.”

Dent, who has been with the Vicksburg department for 19 years, said he has made no decision about his future, but said he would like to stay in Vicksburg.

“There are some opportunities that have opened up early, and my commitment is here,” said Dent, a graduate of the prestigious FBI Academy and an ordained minister.

The new budget, which goes into effect Oct. 1, reduces the number of police officers from 100 to 74. Last week, 11 administrative positions were cut from the department and two deputy chief positions were eliminated and the officers demoted to their previous ranks.

Leyens said that in addition to bringing in a new police chief, the city is recruiting another “high-ranking officer” from the Jackson Police Department who will serve in a new position. Leyens would not release the name of that officer.

The new position with the department will be responsible for performance evaluations, continuing education and field training, Leyens said.

Talk within the police department since the city elections in June was that Dent would be replaced, but after taking office July 1, the new administration kept every department head. Leyens said at the time that they would be given three months to improve their departments or they would be replaced.

Dent will become the first charter officer and the second department head removed since then. The first was long-time head of the personnel department, Wayne Roberts. Roberts was fired last month after 28 years with the city. Charter officers are those identified in the city’s founding law, which also says they must be “elected” by the mayor and aldermen in open session. In addition to the police chief, the fire chief, city judge, city attorney, and city clerk and sexton are charter officers.

Another change in the police department came with the approval of the budget that sets starting police officers salaries at $8,000 more than today. With the new pay scale, Vicksburg police officers will be the highest paid in Mississippi. Starting pay will be $32,422.