SMITHFIELD – A total of 19 candidates have applied for chief of police in Smithfield. Former chief Keith Powell retired in November 2022. He had served as chief since 2016.
Of the 19 applicants, 5 are internal candidates currently employed by the police department. There are two other applicants from North Carolina. There are 12 out-of-state applicants, from 12 different states.
A Community Meeting was held Tuesday night to gather feedback from the public on what they would like to see in the next leader of the police department. Approximately 10 citizens attended.
Town officials have not said when they hope to name the new police chief.
Ronald Johnson?
No outsiders please. Learn from Kenly….
Hire from within the dept or at least a Johnston County native. Out of state considerations are how communities are ruined.
Hopefully they promote from within as they have people who have given the department many years of service and would be better as they know the town already compared to someone from outside who would try to change the way the department operates now to how they would want it to.