One-On-One With New Montgomery Police Chief Ernest Finley
There’s a new police chief in River Region. Montgomery’s new police chief, Ernest Finley, started his official first day of work today. Finley has 28 years of experience with the Atlanta Police Department. There, he worked with the community services division. Reporter, Catalina Trivino, sat down with him today on his first day on the job to talk about his plans for the city. “I know today is your first official day, but you’ve been observing a lot. Tell us what you’ve observed?” Asked Trivino. “In order for me to really do the best job that I can prior to going into any organization I’ve got to prepare for that. And so that’s part of my preparation work to really engage and get to know my residents here in Montgomery,” Said Finley. “With what you’ve observed so far, what have you what have become some of the priorities?” Asked Trivino. “Well, the thing is — that I’m still in that assessment process [in] my conversations with my leadership and executive team. We’re going to kind of come up with some benchmarks and some strategies for crime,” Said Finley. “My conversations [are] not only with my leadership team, but some of the council members, as well, [and] their issues that’s germane to them and that’s germane to me, as well. And so property crime has been one of those main focal points of those conversations and so we’re really going to address those issues.” “What do you believe are going to be the biggest challenges that you will face, or this department is going to face?” Asked Trivino. “When you move the needle you work a paradigm shift. It’s going to be something during that assessment we’re going to come up with some things that will just change the way we do things, but I do believe the bottom line in everything that we do is communication and just making sure that we have open communication.” Finley also says in his new role as chief of Montgomery Police, he plans to increase police visibility. Finley describes himself as a person with a lot of drive and energy He hopes he can filter that energy down to his staff. Finley will be sworn in next Tuesday.
