Lakewood’s police chief is doing his job, even if the union is unhappy | Opinion

As Lakewood residents, we are watching a familiar and troubling pattern play out: when a police chief challenges the status quo, demands accountability or disrupts entrenched internal culture, resistance follows — often loudly, often publicly and often framed as a crisis of leadership.

The recent calls by police unions for the removal of Chief Patrick Smith should be viewed through that lens.

Union dissatisfaction does not automatically equal failed leadership. In fact, history shows us the opposite is often true.

Leadership isn’t measured by comfort

Under Smith’s tenure, Lakewood experienced a year with zero homicides — a fact that cannot be casually dismissed. Public safety outcomes matter. They matter to parents, seniors, business owners, and neighbors who live with the consequences of violence every day.

Yet some reporting and commentary have treated this achievement as secondary to internal grievances. That framing misunderstands who the police department ultimately serves. The police do not exist to satisfy internal hierarchies or union comfort levels — they exist to protect the public.

If crime is down, violence is reduced, and lives are being saved, that deserves acknowledgment and weight in any honest evaluation of leadership.

Union votes are not community referendums

Police unions play an important role in labor representation, but they are not neutral arbiters of public interest. Across the country, unions have resisted reforms involving discipline, transparency, use-of-force standards and leadership changes intended to modernize policing.

A vote of “no confidence” tells us how a segment of the workforce feels — not how the community is being served.

Residents were not asked to vote.

Business owners were not consulted.

Families affected by violence were not surveyed.

And yet, the loudest voices dominating the conversation are internal. That imbalance should concern all of us.

Unions themselves aren’t bad. It’s when they become weaponized they become dangerous.

Health, humanity and fairness matter

Some criticism directed at Smith has included references to health-related issues. As a community, we should be deeply uncomfortable with leadership being undermined through insinuation rather than substance.

Serious health challenges deserve compassion and accommodation — not gossip or character attacks. Lakewood should be a city that values humanity in leadership, not one that punishes it.

Change Is hard, especially when it’s necessary

Morale issues are often cited as justification for removing reform-minded leaders. But morale can decline when expectations rise, accountability increases and long-standing practices are questioned.

That does not mean leadership is failing.

It often means leadership is working.

If internal resistance alone becomes the standard for removing chiefs, Lakewood will never attract or retain leaders willing to do the hard work of modern policing.

We also recognize that leadership in policing is challenging and that meaningful change often brings tension, resistance, and disagreement. Disagreement alone should not be confused with misconduct, nor should reform efforts be mistaken for failure.

Our support for the chief is rooted in:

• A record of engagement with community stakeholders
• A demonstrated commitment to professionalism and accountability
• Ongoing efforts to improve department culture and service delivery
• The importance of continuity and stability in public safety leadership

The question we should be asking

The real question is not: “Are some officers unhappy?”

The real question is: “Is Lakewood safer, fairer and better served?”

So far, the evidence suggests progress — not collapse.

A call for balance and perspective

When was the last time you saw a police union do community policing? I understand that the dichotomy between leadership and rank and file exists. Yet the rank and file are out doing the job and aren’t complaining. It’s the office cops taking shot after shot at Smith. The pattern is clear; it’s got nothing to do with his handling of the job.

We call on city leadership, the media, and our fellow residents to resist reactionary pressure and evaluate Smith fairly, holistically, and with community outcomes at the center.

Leadership should not be decided by the loudest internal voices. It should be guided by results, integrity, and the long-term interests of the people of Lakewood.

Smith deserves a fair assessment — and based on outcomes, reform efforts and public safety results, he deserves our support.

Julius W. Brown Jr. is chairman of the Lakewood African American Police Advisory Committee.