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“I wouldn’t be standing here today if it wasn’t for her,” he
said, choking back tears while explaining how she worked three
jobs so he could attend school, play football, and go to
college.
“So when I get through all this hoopla here today, at the end of
the day, I’m going to go visit my mom. I’m going to take this
chief’s badge and sit with her and tell her that her son’s the
chief of police for the city of Toledo.”
That story drew hearty applause from the audience. Diggs’
sister, niece, and son Derrick, Jr. attended the ceremony. The
younger Diggs is a U.S. Marine and a correctional officer at the
Lucas County Correctional Center. He hopes to one day become a
police officer like his dad.
“That’s my boy, my pride and joy—one tough kid,” said Chief
Diggs of his son.
“He’s definitely up for the challenge. He’s worked hard, he has
plenty of experience and education,” said the younger Diggs of
his father’s new role. “He is a great leader and mentor.”
The police chief’s son currently is working on a criminal
justice degree and hopes to find the same mentors in law
enforcement that his father did.
“So for all you ex-partners and retirees, when you leave here
today remember one thing: you’ll be walking with me as I carry
this badge as chief of police for the Toledo Police Department,”
Diggs said.
The new police chief also addressed the officers who will serve
under him: a department that has thinned to 550 sworn officers
from more than 700 when Chief Navarre first headed the force in
the late 1990s. Reinforcements are on the way: six new officers
will graduate soon from an accelerated police academy. 44 new
recruits will begin training in mid-November, set to join the
police force sometime next May.
“We are a thin, blue line. Unfortunately, we’re going to
get a little thinner as the weeks and months go on,” Diggs
warned. “Because of that, we’re going to have some challenges.
That’s OK, that’s all right. Because we’ll meet those challenges
and we’ll deal with those challenges. You are Toledo’s finest. I
want you to remember that.”
While downplaying the historical significance of Diggs as
Toledo’s first black police chief, city officials emphasized the
new police chief’s qualifications. But they did acknowledge the
historical importance in a number of areas going forward. One of
those is the message it sends to young minorities.
“It says if you’re determined and you’re driven to do so, you’ll
succeed,” said Fire Chief Luis Santiago, recently
appointed as the city’s first Latino to oversee fire operations.
“You can be top cop. You can be the top fireman. That’s been
achieved here in the past few months on both sides. It’s truly
an honor and something we’re proud of. Now we just look forward
to serving.”
“We’re a very diverse city and we have a lot of qualified people
here that crosses racial lines,” said Toledo Mayor Mike Bell
after the ceremony. “It’s going to be very good for our city.
One of the things that make Toledo so strong is its diversity.
“For the young people, they just need to step up and do the
right things and put themselves in place to be police officers
and firefighters and the rest will take care of itself through
hard work.”
The day his appointment was announced last month, Police Chief
Diggs told reporters he had a “bold and ambitious” plan for
moving the department forward.
Part of that involves re-establishing more positive relations
between the police department and some of the city’s
neighborhoods. Diggs admitted there is a “disconnect” in some
areas, where witnesses won’t come forward and victims refuse to
cooperate. Both factors hamper the work of investigators, he
said. As the city’s first black police chief, he hopes to heal
that relationship.
The new police chief also hopes to use more technology to fight
crime. Diggs is working on a plan to use up to $1 million from
the city’s Law Enforcement Trust Fund to install a real-time
video surveillance system. As many as 75 cameras would be
installed at “strategic locations” across the community. The
police department also launched an updated website Friday.
Retiring police chief Mike Navarre
In the swearing-in ceremony, Diggs was sworn in by his
predecessor, outgoing police chief Mike Navarre, 55, who
retired. Both men came from the same police academy class in
1977.
“Chief Navarre has been one of the most honorable chiefs we’ve
ever had in the history of the department,” said Bell, who noted
the retired police chief’s tenure has been marked by the 9-11
terrorist attacks and homeland security concerns, as well as
other challenges.
“For me, Mike Navarre has been an unbelievable friend,” said the
mayor. “He has this wisdom that always seems to kick in at the
right time, to where he is just so calm.”
But Mayor Bell also noted that such a transition between police
chiefs of equal experience is rare. Diggs, 56, has served as a
deputy police chief for a decade.
“He has been preparing for leadership for a long period of
time,” said the mayor. “He knows the department. He knows the
people. He’s very street-oriented. I know he’s going to do a
good job”
“It’s been a great ride,” said Chief Navarre of his police
career.
The outgoing police chief also noted the significance of the
Diggs appointment.
“I know a lot has been said about his being the first
African-American police chief in the city of Toledo and I think
it’s important to note that for history’s sake,” said Navarre.
“But make no mistake about it: he’s not standing up here because
of his race. He is very well-qualified. The city of Toledo is
fortunate he waited for this opportunity because I’m quite
certain that he could have gone to any city our size across the
country.”
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