Pensacola Mayor Addresses Former Chief's Departure, Introduces New PPD Leader

Pensacola, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- Pensacola Mayor DC Reeves is addressing the change in leadership at the Pensacola Police Department. He says the department hadn't measured up to his standards in confidence in leadership or employee engagement for years.

"We were very clear with leadership about what our expectations were....really since probably the hour I got here," Reeves said at his press conference on Tuesday morning. "That's with every department, and this department (PPD) is no different. When changes are made and we feel like they are warranted, we don't do it because we got one email, or one anecdote, or one story."

Reeves said there were no below-board behaviors or other conspiracies regarding the departure of former Chief Eric Randall, and said he wished him well in his future endeavors.

He introduced new acting chief Captain Kristen Brown....

"As you can imagine there was a ton of emotions that I was feeling and going through... from excitement to unbelievable nervousness," Brown said during her welcome speech. "The one that was really in the background was the confidence."

Brown said the city had 'unknowingly' prepared her for this job through education and confidence in her abilities. She promised to continue former Chief Randall's slate of community initiatives and discussed her two primary objectives -- to keep the community safe and happy, and to provide her officers with the tools needed to accomplish their mission.