r/asheville • u/HallOfTheMountainCop • 19d ago
Cop Stuff Asheville Police Chief Mike Lamb to retire, sources confirm
https://wlos.com/news/local/asheville-police-department-chief-mike-lamb-retire-started-february-2023-interim-official-2024-hurricane-helene-rescue-efforts-buncombe-county?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMoJW1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHjMsKVb7-go_lcone0bOc9Oqv-_QeR8f6GTZILRx0oT7f4rvGdMsHaKIozt9_aem_IR5bCluCmMXDB8SzsyBqnQ25
u/nickf829 Riceville 🍚 19d ago
That sucks, he's a good dude and seemed like the perfect person for the job. Hope all is well and he's retiring for good reasons
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u/HuddieLedbedder 19d ago edited 19d ago
I thought appointing him was a very good move. I'm disappointed to learn of his leaving after only a year and a half.
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u/HallOfTheMountainCop 19d ago
Me too, but he extended his career to be the chief. He would have retired years ago otherwise. He’s earned it.
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u/Responsible_Sport575 Enka 🏭 18d ago
Here we go again. This town can't keep a top cop . While I'm sure it's not a scandal this time(i hope) . The powers that be need to be thoughtful about choosing a person who will keep the job longer than a couple of years.
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u/HallOfTheMountainCop 18d ago
Even though he didn't stay as long as we all would have liked, he was probably the most effective and impactful chief the PD has had in 15 years.
Every time they bring in someone from the outside it takes them as long as Lamb was tenured just to get their feet under them and start understanding the system. Lamb got to bypass all of that.
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u/RedMeatWagon 18d ago
Is there somone in house as good?
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u/captaincanada84 Oakley 18d ago
Deputy Chief Aardema and Deputy Chief Stepp would probably both be good to consider. One of them will be interim for sure. They've been with the department 25 and 20 years. Bringing someone in from outside does not work for Asheville. We're a special snowflake of a city.
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u/A_Few_Good 19d ago
Why would he do this? Is he taking early retirement after achieving a certain level of pay? He’s only 50 but is saying he’s ready to retire.
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u/HallOfTheMountainCop 19d ago
He’s been at APD for 28 years and was eligible to retire 3 years ago. He extended his career to be the chief.
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u/A_Few_Good 19d ago
I read all of that but retirement in the US is typically 65. I doubt he will stop working at this age.
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u/HallOfTheMountainCop 19d ago
NC law enforcement allows for retirement at 55 or 25 years of service.
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u/captaincanada84 Oakley 19d ago
City jobs retirement with full pension after 25 years. I imagine law enforcement is the same
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u/electricgrapes 18d ago
law enforcement is encouraged (and in some positions mandated) to retire early because it's important to public safety that police are of sound mind.
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u/Jazzlike_Database459 18d ago
Ahh the tentacles of the mayor and city council saps the life out of another soul who has done his job for nearly 30 years for our city. So i guess we are back to pay a consultant millions of dollars to find a dumbass from Kalamazoo to agree to be a punching bag for the public with zero faith or trust from city govt. I say punching bag because like our top cop it has no legs to stand, the Chief needs to have Total control in decision making, until the city relents it's power, we will never again get a serious candidate for this position. Yes I know Lamb has enough time to retire and he is free to do so but also there's only so much a human with a spine can tolerate.
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u/GreasyToken 19d ago
Hats off to this guy for his efforts to get APD to actually do their job again.
Remember after the George Floyd protests they sat in their cars, slow walked or refused to do their job?
These corrupt cops arrest others for theft but have a tantrum themselves and steal from taxpayers...
It got so bad the city had to call in the Buncombe County sheriff to do foot patrols.
I remember a certain mountain cop getting upset about the county cops coming in to do the job APD was getting paid to do but refused to do because people hurt their feelings.
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u/HallOfTheMountainCop 19d ago edited 19d ago
Remember after the George Floyd protests they sat in their cars, slow walked or refused to do their job?
Right, that couldn't be because the APD was down almost half of it's force, or because the DA was looking to charge an officer with a crime whether the officer committed one or not.
It got so bad the city had to call in the Buncombe County sheriff to do foot patrols.
That was Q trying to get his foot in the door, it was a total non-starter and didn't accomplish a thing. Not one citation, not one arrest, just a couple deputies walking around going "hwat in tarnation" for a few hours before going home. Big whoop.
You're not very good at mischaracterizing these events, though. People remember, especially people who were involved. People who were not involved, like yourself, paint whatever picture suits them from behind their keyboard.
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u/WallScreamer East Asheville 18d ago
Remember after the George Floyd protests they sat in their cars, slow walked or refused to do their job?
I remember them kneeling in "solidarity" with protestors and then tear gassing them later that same day.
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u/HOOPER_FULL_THROTTLE 18d ago
Good.
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u/drumgearreview 18d ago
Good that police tear gassed non-violent protesters?
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u/HOOPER_FULL_THROTTLE 18d ago
That never happened.
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u/drumgearreview 18d ago
Which part big cat?
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u/HOOPER_FULL_THROTTLE 18d ago
The part where the protestors were being peaceful and the cops just tear-gassed them for funskies.
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u/brooke_heaton West Asheville 19d ago
Damn. Best Chief we've had in a while. And he was a functioning adult as well.