Mar 4, 2008 11:56 pm US/Eastern
Neighbors Fear Change Of Police Commander
LIBERTY CITY (CBS4) ―
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Dozens of people who live in the high-crime streets of Liberty City chanted and pleaded, trying to convince Miami police Chief John Timoney, to keep police commander Lorenzo Whitehead in Liberty City.
CBS
A police commander, who won the hearts of many in a high-crime inner city area, has reassigned to an upscale neighborhood. That's got the residents of that urban neighborhood outraged, and worried their streets will become more dangerous.
CBS4's Natalia Zea was there when they pleaded with the Miami police chief to bring their commander back.
Dozens of people who live in the high-crime streets of Liberty City chanted and pleaded, trying to convince Miami police Chief John Timoney, to keep police commander Lorenzo Whitehead in Liberty City.
"He's so good to us," said Elijah Shanks a Liberty City resident. "To take him away right now, he's lie a father to us who don't got a father."
And the more seasoned.
"The seniors, the babies, everybody love him," said Juanita Shank a Liberty City resident. "I got a little baby, 18 months old, when she sees a police car she goes oh commander, commander."
They all tell story after story of how Commander Whitehead stuck his neck out for them. Giving residents his personal phone number and establishing, for the first time in a long time, a sense of security.
Whitehead spent only a year as the commander, and he's been reassigned to the Brickell/Coral Way area.
"We had a series of promotions, there were a series of commanders who were transferred, that's normal course of business," said Timoney.
Police said the crime in Liberty City has actually gone up since whitehead took over, and they said Whitehead's replacement, Bernard Johnson, who is also a native of Liberty City will do a great job too.
"Give me the chance and opportunity and I guarantee that we will be successful," explained Johnson.
But for the children Whitehead teaches karate for free, and those who trust and respect him in a community that has historically battled against police officers accepting anyone new will be tough to do.
Whitehead said he appreciates the community's support but in the end he says he has to follow his Chief's orders to relocate.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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