By Amy Paige Condon
A standing ovation by more than 400 well wishers greeted Willie Lovett after he took the oath of office to become the next chief of the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department on April 16.
Lovett, 60, stood tall and proud as daughters and his wife of almost 40 years pinned four stars to each of his shoulders. The standing-room-only crowd of officers past and present, community activists and family and friends gathered in the Savannah Civic Center ballroom to show their support and to mark this moment in the city’s history: Lovett is the first African-American to serve as the 218-year-old department’s chief.
In his characteristic humility, Lovett honored those who came before him, pointing to retired Lt. John A. White, who was among the first nine black officers hired in 1947. A sergeant in 1973, White served as Lovett’s commanding officer when he came to the department that same year.
“If it were not for him,” said Lovett, “I do not think I would be here today.”
Willie Clinton Lovett’s 37 years on the police force began soon after he returned from a tour with the 23rd Infantry in Vietnam. At that time, Savannah’s population hovered around 200,000, the city’s economy was stagnant because of white flight to the suburbs and bigger cities, and the Savannah College of Art and Design wouldn’t appear on the scene for another six years. The native son tried selling insurance for a time but found it “as boring as all outdoors.” He went to Georgia Pacific for a shorter while. Then a neighbor, who served as an officer, encouraged Lovett to apply.
At the time, Lovett recalled, there were six police officers on the street for the entire city. “There was not as much crime either.”
In 1980, Lovett was promoted to sergeant. “Thought I was hot stuff then,” he said, laughing at himself.
He enjoyed patrol and helped to establish the mini-stations built within Savannah’s public housing areas, where opinion of the police ranked low and crime was escalating.
“You couldn’t get emergency services to go into [public housing] without an escort,” he said. In time, the police officers came to know all the families, communication opened up both ways and ambulances and fire trucks no longer needed protection.
As he rose through the ranks, Lovett earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s in public administration. He also distinguished himself as a leader with a steady hand. By the time Lovett reached captain, he expressed to then-chief David Gellatly, now a Chatham County Commissioner that he would like to be chief one day.
That day would be a long time coming.
Lovett is the first chief hired from within the ranks in more than 35 years. He waited patiently, serving under others who sought the spotlight but not the respect of officers or the greater community. He served twice as interim chief, in 2006 and again from 2009 until now, and both times serious crime fell.
Geena Moore, the department’s public information officer, credits Lovett’s faith in his commanding officers.
“Each captain is allowed to do what they need to do,” she said. “I’m high strung. He calms me.”
Lovett said that if you micromanage you send the message that you don’t need them. He recognizes that each precinct presents different challenges.
“You let them figure out how to do it,” he said. “You allow failure to a certain degree. No one comes here knowing everything.”
Training and education will be priorities of his administration, he said. He wants to create both good leaders and good managers so that there will never be a question again whether or not someone within the department is capable of serving as chief.
Lovett’s management style has earned the support of the 635 officers now serving on the combined Savannah-Chatham County police force as well as community activists who long felt their public safety concerns went unanswered.
Chief Lovett acknowledged at the swearing-in ceremony that his honeymoon period will be short-lived. The joint city-county policy committee that conducted the chief search outlined a five-point work program that starts immediately.
Among those points: staff development, hiring more civilians to serve in support roles, reducing the levels of drugs, gangs and guns in the community and reducing the number of crimes committed by repeat offenders through greater cooperation among federal, state and local agencies.
The work plan and the new chief acknowledge that the key to success, though, is the fifth point: community engagement.
“We can’t be everywhere,” said Chief Lovett, “But there are people everywhere. We’ve got to find the right person and have faith we will do the right thing.”
Lovett wants to involve the community more formally in all aspects of public safety, and that includes the SCAD community. “SCAD students are unique in a good way,” said Lovett. “They are all over the place.”
Because they travel most often on foot and by bike, students offer a natural system of surveillance and should keep their eyes and ears open for any suspicious activity. But, he encourages students to be smart: make sure doors are locked, don’t leave valuables in plain sight in cars, and never walk alone.
Lovett continued, “It’s important to understand [students] are an important part of the community. Any good or frustrations – we want to hear from them.
