There will be a new Police Chief in town soon, Scott Booth will take the lead of the Roanoke City police department as he was hired by the Roanoke City manager. After rewarding the former police Chief Sam Roman by the Roanoke City government to become a second Assistant City Manager which was a position created for him with higher paycheck than his previous position! He left the Department, the officers, the continuous violence, and the streets of Roanoke behind. On July of this year he started his new position. However, does Roanoke needs two Assistants City Manager in Roanoke?
Scott Booth will assume the duty as the Roanoke City Police Chief after his last day as Danville Police Chief on October 31. He will take over the City of crimes and homicides, which is unfortunately a typical Roanoke City’s situation. Chief Booth will be inheriting an environment of violence in Roanoke and a mess that the former Police Chief left when he stepped aside from it. It is obvious that the City’s officials are in lacking of solution, and yet the citizens of Roanoke are suffering and caught up between the Roanoke City politics and the violence crimes.
Obviously, As Danville Police Chief, Booth’s accomplishment has been noticed in improving the City’s safety situation. His effective role in reducing crimes as the highest in 2017 to a 35-year low in year 2020,(WFXRtv) and cleaning the City up from various gangs and violent crimes is recognized. Therefore, Mr. Booth deserves a credit for such an accomplishment in Danville as he also deserves a chance in Roanoke City. Indeed, he is a hope for Roanoke community.
It was not a puzzle that Roanoke City was in need for an effective police chief who can put politics and being (buddy) with the rest of the officials aside and focus on the core issue. Perhaps, City Manager Bob Cowell did not realize he admitted that our former Police Chief was a failure when he said that, “the residents and business owners in Roanoke made it clear that the city needed a police chief with a proven record of community engagement, strong leadership, and crime reduction.” (WFXRtv). Very true Mr. Cowell, all Roanokers needed a strong police chief who is a true leader in the community.
It is critical to hold a law enforcement position in today’s society as the law officers are the target by the criminals, some powerful politicians, and the main social media. Drawing a negative image of law enforcement officers has alienated them from society and created a gap between them and the citizens.
Definitely, Chief Booth is stepping into a deep puddle of violence in Roanoke, which needs much more efforts to dry it up. The issue is stretching further than what it appears. Roanoke’s homicide is the highest since 1970 (WSLS10News) and the number is of course increasing.
As a new Chief, Booth’s success will be determine by reducing violent crimes in Roanoke, which completely depends on separating his political affiliation, not politicizing the City’s government, and believes that there is a cultural crises and problem which promote violence and must be changed.
– Serwan Zangana supported Operation Iraqi Freedom as a U.S Army translator beforecoming to the U.S from Kurdistan, Iraq in 1997 to seek political asylum. He was granted asylum status and years later proudly became a U.S citizen. He currently serves as a correction officer in Roanoke.
