Mayor Ashton Hayward isn’t changing his mind about David Alexander stepping down as the police chief. On next week’s city council agenda, he is recommending that Tommi Lyter take command on the Pensacola Police Department.
Because the position is one of the few that is clearly designated a department head, Hayward must get council approval of the appointment, according to the city charter. The mayor offers no explanation for this appointment, other than giving the council Lyter’s resume – Résumé for Tommi Lyter dated April 2017.
Alexander was appointed Police Chief in July 2015. He was the first African-American Chief of Police in the 194-year history of the Pensacola Police Department. He agreed in writing to retire when his DROP (Deferred Retirement Option Program) date was reached which is later this month. It’s been clear for the past two years that Lyter would be Alexander’s successor.
A Facebook page praising Alexander has been deleted -Â Thank you, Chief David Alexander, III.