Officer: Race a factor in Dothan police chief job

A veteran police officer said he has twice been denied a chance at the chief’s job in the Dothan Police Department because of race.

Lt. Keith Gray, who has 29 years of law enforcement experience and nearly 25 with the Dothan Police Department, said the city rewrote the qualifications for the chief’s job to exclude him.

One of more than 60 candidates who applied for the position, Gray recently received a letter saying he failed to meet the basic qualifications for the job, which was advertised this fall after former Chief John Powell resigned in August.

Officials have been tight-lipped on the hiring process and have refused numerous requests for a list of candidates. City Manager Mike West said Tuesday he has received at least two “short lists” of possible candidates. He said it could be a dozen names and he hopes to have someone recommended for hire by the end of the year.

The city upgraded one job requirement which affects Gray -- that the candidates have at least five years experience at the senior management level. When former Police Chief John Powell was hired, the qualification was three years.

Gray applied for the job in 2004 after Chief John White retired. At that time, as now, Gray takes issue with an FBI certification preference for the candidate.

He said he was concerned at what he deemed a “recent and sudden change in qualifications.”

“I would like to say why?” he asked Dothan City Commissioners Tuesday during the regular commission meeting. “I currently meet all the qualifications, according to the job description (used to hire Powell). Now it says I need FBI experience…. I felt it was unfair. I felt it was being tailor-made for a specific candidate (in 2004) and that candidate got the job.”

Gray said he has shared his concerns with Personnel Director Delvick McKay, who assured him that the hiring process would be fair. The qualifications would affect any of those applying for the job, regardless of race or sex. And the city does have numerous minority department heads, including McKay, who is also black.

“I told him fairness was all I was seeking. Then the job was posted and the FBI requirement is back,” Gray said. “Why was the selection process changed during this process? I am well aware, the city can change requirements… . But others are also questioning it.”

Those others included Gray’s brother, sister and NAACP official Ed Vaughn, all three of whom spoke to commissioners on Gray’s behalf Tuesday.

“The change of qualifications is a violation of a court order,” Vaughn said.

Reflecting on segregation and growing up in Dothan, Vaughn said the city has always been more progressive when it comes to the rights of all individuals.

“The Ku Klux Klan was barred from Dothan, so they had to don their sheets in Cottonwood,” he said.

Gray also said he has been ridiculed by Caucasian coworkers who “laughed hysterically” when he told them he was going to be the next chief of police.

“I felt, by their reaction, they could not fathom an African American being police chief.”

Another coworker, he said, told him: “I don’t care what qualifications you have. They will not make you a police chief, because you are black.

“Capt. (Steve) Parrish and Capt. (Greg) Benton are still in the running. Both are qualified. I am, and know that I am… I urge you to investigate these sudden changes.”

Gray’s sister, Pamela Gray Mosley, said her brother has struggled in the department.

“Keith was overlooked and passed over for promotion time and time again. Now, at the pinnacle of his career, due to a timely job description/qualification change (he is being denied again). He receives a denial letter saying the basic qualifications were not met. How insulting.”

Dwight Baker, Gray’s brother, accused the city of writing the specs for the job so certain people cannot qualify. “I thought we're going to do the right thing and end this prejudice behavior.”

District 2 Commissioner Amos Newsome has twice asked McKay for a list of all applicants. McKay has not given him that list, but has instead informed him of the hiring process, and that the new chief will be selected by the city manager.

Newsome said he wants to know how many of the applicants live inside the city limits, outside, are male, are female, and their race.

“I want to see every resume. You can dust off your statement dealing with the city manager on hiring and firing. You can dust it off and send it back to me again, but I still want to see the resume of everyone who applies for the police chief,” Newsome said.