Whether most folks realized it or not, the city of Clinton made history last week, when Adrian Mathews was named the chief of police. That fact might not seem exactly groundbreaking, considering his law enforcement experience and that he was serving as interim chief after Anthony Davis’s retirement last month, but significant it was, because Mathews has become the first Black police chief in Clinton’s history.
Mathews will be sworn in at a future City Council meeting, even though he’s been doing the job as the interim chief since Davis retired on Oct. 16.
He is a good choice for a new chief, and we welcome him and his ideas for policing in Clinton, knowing that Mathews, like Davis, has residents’ best interest at heart, particularly when it comes to their safety. And we know we will be in good hands with Mathews at the held of the Police Department.
The new chief has been with the Clinton Police Department since 2008, and has steadily climbed the ranks over the past 17 years. While he may not have started his law enforcement career with aspirations to someday be Clinton’s police chief, it is a testament to his work ethic and leadership that he is now in the top law enforcement post in the city.
“We don’t just focus on crime in the community, but quality of life,” Mathews told The Sampson Independent last week. “As chief, I want to be visible and accessible to the community.”
In that vein, Mathews shares a key similarity with his predecessor, Anthony Davis. Earlier this year, when we reported on decreasing crime rates, the former chief had virtually the same remarks about the importance of the community in policing. “Well-trained officers enhance the effectiveness of proactive policing strategies, while community-oriented policing fosters positive relationships and communication between officers and residents,” Davis explained in an August interview. “Our officers remain committed to patrolling neighborhoods and engaging with citizens to better understand the issues facing our community.”
We hope the community realizes the importance of this policy, and of being involved proactively with their local law enforcement. When police officers are more than a badge and flashing blue lights, when the community sees them as individuals who are here to truly “protect and serve,” we’ll see crime rates continue to go down.
We’re hopeful that many of those community members who are wary and skeptical of police will come to see that law enforcement is here to protect them and keep them from becoming victims. For a community to grow and be successful, as we’ve said many times before, it will take everyone in that community coming together and working with one another on a common goal.
Sadly, there will always be crime, but community-based policing translates to fewer violent crimes and residents feeling safer in their own homes, vehicles, or even walking down the street. We’re glad to hear that Mathews aims to continue working with the community, putting a name and face to law enforcement and working toward preventing crime before it even starts.
It is only with this sort of attitude that law enforcement is truly a part of the fabric of a community. We applaud the city of Clinton for keeping it that way with its new police chief.