The leadership transition comes as Fulford prepares to appear before the Selma City Council on May 6.
) - The Selma Police Department is operating under new leadership two weeks after Chief Kenta Fulford was placed on administrative leave, and city leaders say they are already seeing signs of improvement.
The leadership transition comes as Fulford prepares to appear before the Selma City Council on May 6, where he is expected to present his case on why he should remain the city’s police chief. Mayor Johnny Moss III said the city’s decision to place Fulford on leave was tied to concerns about management practices within the department, particularly overtime spending. According to the mayor, some officers were receiving large amounts of overtime pay, creating a financial strain on the city.
“We’re talking 50 percent of overtime for some officers,” Moss said. “Some officers were doubling and tripling their salaries. ” Moss said overtime is sometimes necessary in law enforcement, but city leaders believed it needed stronger oversight and a clearer approval process. The city has named Michael Perry as interim chief during the transition.
Perry is a Selma native who says he spent 30 years with the department and retired as commander of the Uniformed Patrol Division. He said returning to lead the agency is both professional and personal. He said one of his first responsibilities has been evaluating operations, restoring structure, and increasing accountability.
“I have to enhance transparency, and I have to come back and establish the professionalism that these officers are capable of providing for our city,” Perry said. Mayor Moss said in the two weeks since Perry took over, the city has already seen measurable differences. Changes in internal leadership and management practicesThe Mayor also said the department appears to be operating more efficiently under the interim leadership structure.
Perry said supervisors are now being asked to take a more active leadership role and provide clearer direction to officers under them.
“The department has a lot of good officers,” Perry said. “But if you have dysfunctional leadership, then that’s going to create problems for morale, high turnover, and things of that nature. ” He also said the department, like many agencies across the country, faces common challenges such as retention, discipline, and budget pressures. Perry named Detective Benjamin to the role, saying communication with residents and the media is critical.
Detective Benjamin said the department wants to become more transparent and provide information to the public in a more timely and accurate manner.
“Sometimes it’s not about what you’re doing and how you’re doing it if the public don’t know what you’re doing,” Benjamin said. The department also recently shared details publicly about a shooting investigation that resulted in one suspect being arrested, while another suspect, a juvenile, remained outstanding at the time of the interview. Moss said the May 6 hearing will allow both Fulford and the city to present their positions before the council votes on how to proceed.
“We’ll have a hearing. Chief Fulford will provide due process to present his case as well as the city’s case. And then we’ll have to vote and see how the council wants to move forward,” Moss said. The outcome of that hearing could determine whether Fulford returns as chief or whether the city moves in a different direction permanently.
The Selma Police Department has faced growing public attention in recent weeks as residents look for answers about crime, response times, and department leadership. Now, with an interim chief in place and a key hearing days away, the future direction of policing in Selma may soon become clearer. Contract nurse arrested in alleged attempt to smuggle contraband into Alabama prisonWoman killed in Montgomery Friday identified; suspect arrested
WFSA WSFA 12 News Dallas County Sheriff Selma Police Chief Mayor James Perkins Jr. Selma City Council Chief Kenta Fulford
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