Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins said she intended to make some organizational changes in the police department. She has done just that. Hawkins is undoing a major organizational change implemented three years ago by former Chief Harold Medlock. She is reorganizing the department into two patrol districts. That’s the way it was before Medlock created a third district. The two district police substations are on Raeford Road and Sycamore Dairy Road. The FPD’s Executive Command Staff is headquartered at the main police station on Hay Street.

Hawkins has reshaped the FPD’s command staff structure as well. Assistant Chief Christopher Davis is retiring next month, and Hawkins has decided not to replace him. When asked why he was taking early retirement, Davis said, “The Medlock years took a lot out of me.” He’s looking for another job and is also teaching at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

The FPD will be left with two assistant chiefs, Anthony Kelly and Michael Petti. The department’s organization flow chart will have an additional layer of executives. Chief Hawkins is creating four new positions with the rank of major.

“They will be promoted from within,” she said. The selections have not yet been made. One of the majors will be Hawkins’ chief of staff. Another will be in charge of the Specialized Support Bureau. Two majors will be assigned to the Field Support Bureau.

Hawkins said the new executive positions will be funded by reallocating the assistant chief’s payroll and that of a captain’s position following his recent retirement. The reorganization goes into effect Feb. 5. That’s when the dominos will begin to fall with the promotion of four police captains to major, which will reshape the command staff. Four lieutenants will ostensibly be promoted to captain, and four sergeants will be elevated to lieutenant, leaving the opportunity for four patrolmen to become sergeants.

Another captain recently resigned, and that vacancy is being filled with the promotion of Lt. Todd Joyce, Hawkins said. “Filling that position was extremely competitive,” the chief said, “but Joyce earned it.” Joyce has served as the department’s public information officer for several years. Lt. Gary Womble will take that position when Joyce moves up.

Photo: Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins