NEWS

Top cop can't wear badge, make arrests

Belmont will pay for new chief to go back to school

Diane Turbyfill dturbyfill@gastongazette.com
Clark

City leaders knew their top candidate for police chief was not a certified law enforcement officer but they moved ahead to hire H.C. "Skip" Clark. 

Clark has put in more than 30 years wearing the badge, but his certification lapsed more than a year ago. Hired as Belmont's police chief in February, Clark is listed with the state as an administrative chief.

The unusual designation means Clark can supervise the department, but he cannot wear a badge, carry a department-issued gun or make arrests.

Newly named City Manager Adrian Miller said he and former city manager Barry Webb were aware of the certification snag, but he said the two believed gaining Clark's experience and expertise was worth the additional hurdle.

600 hours of study

Clark has policed towns in Florida and Georgia for 36 years, rising from a patrol officer to chief.

He resigned his job as police chief in Peachtree City, Ga., in 2014.

In North Carolina, an officer who allows his or her certification to lapse for more than a year must repeat Basic Law Enforcement Training, a program that includes more than 600 hours of study and physical training.

Anytime an out-of-state officer takes a position in North Carolina, he or she has to be certified here. If there has been no lapse in certification, the course is abbreviated to 96 hours.

Miller had hoped that would be the case for Clark, but the Criminal Justice Training and Standards Commission will require him to take the full course load to earn a state certification.

Not commonplace

Having a police chief who is not a certified officer is uncommon, but it does happen, according to George Erwin Jr. with the N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police.

Of the 400 police departments across the state, five to 10 police chiefs are not sworn officers, according to the N.C. Department of Justice.

States have different policies when it comes to certification and how lapses occur.

Clark said he did not have North Carolina laws in mind when his certification lapsed in 2014.

Night classes

Clark has been in contact with advisers at Gaston College, where basic law enforcement training is offered.

The next set of classes begins in the fall. Clark has the option to go full-time or take classes on nights and weekends.

All the details have not yet been ironed out, but Miller said the chief will hold full-time office hours so night classes seem the most logical. If he signs on for night classes, Clark could take the test for certification by June 2017. 

Clark is a salaried employee, so he will not be paid for extra hours spent working on the certification, Miller said.

The part-time track takes nine months and costs about $1,100 to $1,200 per semester. The city has agreed to foot the bill for the classes and state tests.

60+ applicants

Miller was not the city manager when Clark was chosen for the job, but he was a part of the hiring process.

He worked with the former city manager to sort applications, conduct interviews and ultimately make the recommendation to City Council.

Clark's résumé rose to the top of more than 60 applicants. Part of the process included Miller and Webb going to Peachtree City to interview city leaders, police officers and residents.

The two-day trip further strengthened Miller's faith that Clark was the right person for the job, he said.

Accusations in common

Clark was hired to replace former chief Charlie Franklin.

Franklin was fired under suspicion of creating a hostile work environment by intimidating employees and failing to follow procedure. Webb recommended Franklin's resignation following a lengthy investigation.

Clark was accused of similar conduct at his last job, though he was not fired from his position, and he denies any wrongdoing.

He kept his job for a couple of years after the accusations, though his name surfaced in a civil suit against the city.

Peachtree City paid a former employee $350,000 to settle that suit.

Time-consuming tasks

Clark will have plenty of administrative work to keep him busy while he works through the certification process, Miller said.

Reorganizing a police department, filling vacancies and managing more than 40 employees is a time-consuming and important position, he said.

The chief of police is a department head with an important job in the community whether or not he's wearing a badge or carrying a gun, said Miller.

Clark said he will do whatever it takes to do his job and get certified. He said he feels good about his work with the department thus far.

"I think we're making progress and moving forward," he said.

You can reach Diane Turbyfill at 704-869-1817 and Twitter.com/GazetteDiane.