Columbus council mum as next police chief is selected; Natchez’s Daughtry among finalists

Published 6:57 pm Friday, November 11, 2022

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NATCHEZ — Columbus City Council members have picked someone to be the city’s next top officer. They haven’t announced who it is yet, though Natchez Police Chief Joseph Daughtry Sr. was one of three named finalists.

The other two finalists were Chattanooga Assistant Chief Russell Jason Irvin and Wayne D. Hudson, a sheriff’s deputy of Douglas County, Nebraska. They were each selected to interview for the Columbus Police Chief position after a 10-person search committee narrowed down a list of approximately 60 applicants.

Columbus Mayor Keith Gaskin announced after the city council met behind closed doors on Friday morning that officials have reached a decision. However, Gaskin said no name or further details would be released until negotiations are complete. An announcement could come during or before the city’s next council meeting, which is Tuesday.

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Daughtry did not return calls or messages as of Friday evening to confirm whether or not he was offered the position. He earlier said he had applied to multiple departments, including the Columbus Police Department. He was the first of the three to interview for the position. The last interview wrapped up on Monday, The Commercial Dispatch newspaper reported.