LITTLE ROCK — Danny Bradley, North Little Rock’s police chief for the past 12 years, will permanently move into a newly created position of chief of staff under new Mayor Joe Smith sometime around March 1, both said Friday.
Smith will be sworn in as mayor Tuesday after Mayor Patrick Hays’ sixth term ends Monday.
Bradley will assume his new position immediately but will stay on as police chief and share those duties during a transition period into the Smith administration. Bradley’s salary will be the same as his $95,194 police chief’s pay, Smith said.
“Basically, we’re going to get a little bit more organized as far as the management structure is going to be,” said Smith, who was elected in a runoff Nov. 27. “Everybody will know who’s in charge in the event I’m gone, or if Danny wasn’t here, who is in charge next, so there’s no question who to call.”
Smith added that more reorganization will be announced not long after he takes office.
The new position is partly a restructuring of his former duties as the city’s Commerce and Governmental Affairs director for 22 years, Smith said. In that role, Smith was essentially an untitled chief of staff under Hays.
A duty Smith will retain for about two months, Smith said, will be to continue acting as the city’s purchasing director.
“We’re all going to wear a couple of hats for a while ... so we can just see how everything is going to play out,” Smith said. “It’ll take us a few months to figure out who’s on first and what’s on second.”
Bradley, who has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, will oversee the daily operation of the city, Smith said.
“I see Danny helping me manage the day to days,” Smith said. “I’ve watched the mayor over the years and you get so busy taking care of meetings and greetings — I just spent the last two hours with a developer — and all of sudden the day’s over and you don’t even know who came to work that day.
“I feel with his management experience, I couldn’t think of anyone better to help assure we are well-managed,” Smith said of Bradley.
Bradley, who will be 59 Thursday, became North Little Rock’s police chief Jan. 1, 2001. He had been chief deputy for the Pulaski County sheriff’s office before getting the chief job. Bradley began his law-enforcement career as a police cadet in North Little Rock, advancing to captain before leaving for the sheriff’s office.
Bradley will leave as the longest-serving police chief in North Little Rock, he said.
“I just see it as a new challenge,” Bradley said of the new position. “I’m looking forward to it. I think I will enjoy the new position, but I’m going to miss the department, of course.”
Bradley said the new position will present “some new territory” for him after his career in law enforcement.
“I see my duties as making sure the mayor’s directions and objectives are carried out through the various departments in the city and oversee the day-to-day operations of the departments and that they’re on track in the objectives and goals he has laid out for them,” Bradley said.
“I’m sure there will be some special projects that come along, too,” he added.
Bradley said Smith approached him “some time ago” about taking such a position if Smith was elected mayor.
“After the election, we met and kind of finalized plans,” he said. “I think it’s a good move [creating the position] whether I occupy the position or not. I think having that position is a good move for the city to help city government run more efficiently.”
Bradley appeared in a video endorsement for Smith during the mayoral campaign, while the local police union had publicly endorsed Smith’s runoff opponent, state Rep. Tracy Steele.
“We visited with the leadership and I think everybody is being mature about it,” Bradley said of any differences with the police union.
Mike Davis, sworn in as assistant police chief Oct. 4 after being patrol captain, will become interim police chief in March when Bradley leaves, Smith said.
Bradley said Davis is “respected both inside and outside the department” and is “well-known in the community.”
“I think it’s going to be a good transition,” Bradley added. “I’m going to continue to be here in the Police Department for a couple of months ... while carrying out some of the reins as chief of staff.”
Arkansas, Pages 15 on 12/30/2012