Like the new chief, two new deputy chiefs for the Vicksburg Police Department come to work not only with strong resumes, but also with impressive records of effectiveness in law enforcement. It’s what the city needs.

Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol veteran Walter Armstrong was Mayor Paul Winfield’s pick to replace the embattled former chief, Tommy Moffett. In two months on the job, Armstrong, who had extensive patrol and administrative experience at the state level, has been impressive. Felony cases are being cleared, lines of communication are open and what could have been a tragic situation with a distraught gunman was handled with utmost professionalism.

Nothing against Moffett, a proven and competent law enforcement professional, but Armstrong brings a different style that appears to have energized the department.

Winfield said he left it to Armstrong to select deputies. His picks were Lt. Jeffrey Scott, who started with the Jackson Police Department in 1992, to supervise enforcement, and former Deputy Chief John Dolan, who has 28 years’ experience, to supervise administration.

Scott is a Jackson State graduate who has supervised more than 200 homicide investigations and said he was excited about a move to Vicksburg from his home in Clinton.

“I have a lot of ideas that the chief and I have discussed, and I hope we can do some things to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Vicksburg,” Scott said. “Vicksburg is a beautiful city, it has some of the nicest people you could ever meet and me and my family are looking forward to becoming a part of it.”

Dolan is a University of Southern Mississippi graduate who worked previously for the Warren County Sheriff’s Department and Mississippi Gaming Commission in addition to being a deputy chief for the Vicksburg force.

“I think having the contacts I have, not only in law enforcement but with the citizens, will be a great benefit to the department,” Dolan said. “In my 28 years I gave the taxpayers their money’s worth and in the next four years I will give them their money’s worth again. I will not be a waste of taxpayers’ money.”

Police operations are one of the crucial functions of city government. Likewise, everybody has an opinion of how things should be done. Controversy of various dimensions is almost guaranteed. The best recipe for dealing with those realities is to empower competent leaders to serve in key roles. The public can be confident excellent choices have been made for these key posts.