James Sheppard (politician)
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James Sheppard | |
|---|---|
| Monroe County, New York Legislator, 23rd District | |
| In office January 2016 – present | |
| Chief of the Rochester Police Department | |
| In office November 11th, 2010 – December 20th, 2013 | |
| Preceded by | David T. Moore |
| Succeeded by | Michael Ciminelli |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | June Sheppard |
| Children | 3 |
| Alma mater | Empire State College |
James M. Sheppard is an American politician and retired police officer. He is the former chief of the Rochester Police Department in Upstate New York and is currently serving as part of the Monroe County Legislature. Sheppard has served over 30 years in the police force upon retiring as chief. Though Rochester saw some of the lowest crime levels under his tenure, he was a polarizing figure in office.[1] He shifted his attention to helping city youth and finances for the county after retirement.[2] Sheppard is currently running for mayor for Rochester, New York. He is also the brother of United States Army veteran and former Survivor contestant Phillip Sheppard.
Police Career[edit]
Having worked at the Rochester Police Department since January 1981, Sheppard was appointed as Chief of Police by then-mayor and former chief Robert Duffy in late 2010 to replace David T. Moore. Prior to nomination as chief, Sheppard had worked many positions in the department, including Patrol Officer, SWAT, Special Investigations Section, Lieutenant, Network Patrol Division commander, and finally Deputy Chief of the Operations Bureau, the second highest position in the RPD. In 2008, he briefly left the RPD to work as Director of Safety and Security of the Rochester City School District before Mayor Duffy appointed him to serve as director of Rochester’s Office of Public integrity.[3]
Sheppard inherited some of the police practices from the previous administration, which included the "Zero Tolerance" initiative. Sheppard's "Operation Cooldown" initiative helped reduce crime in Rochester to historic lows, especially in homicides and violent crimes. However, under his tenure as chief, the RPD faced harsh criticism for some of its practices. Some of the most notable incidents included the arrests of Brenda Hardaway, a woman claiming to be pregnant, and Emily Good, a young woman who was allegedly arrested for filming police officers. In addition, some residents complained about "stop and frisk" tendencies from the police as a result of Operation Cooldown. Regardless, Sheppard was known for his transparency in discussing issues and for encouraging cooperation between the RPD and the community. His "Policing in the Spirit of Service" campaign re-established the Police Activities League and dozens of other community outreach events.
In December 2013, Sheppard announced his retirement. [4]
Political Career[edit]
County Legislator[edit]
After two years out of office, Sheppard successfully ran for Monroe County Legislature in 2015.[2] He is currently serving the 23rd district, which includes parts of Rochester and Brighton.
Candidacy for Mayor of Rochester[edit]
In January 2017, he declared his candidacy for the mayor of Rochester, New York, running for the Democratic ticket against incumbent mayor Lovely Warren and news journalist Rachel Barnhart.[5]
On March 8, 2017, Sheppard won the endorsement of three legislative districts in northwestern Rochester, beating incumbent Mayor Warren and Rachel Barnhart. [6] [7] He picked up further endorsements from the city's east side. As of March 23, Sheppard has the endorsements of five legislative districts, continuing his lead over Warren and Barnhart.[8]
References[edit]
- ↑ Zilka, Ashley. "Community Expresses Mixed Feelings Over Sheppard's Retirement". WROC-TV. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Riley, David (Jan. 21, 2015). ry/news/2015/01/21/james-sheppard-former-rochester-police-chief-runs-monroe-county-legislature-paul-haney-election/22101773/ "Ex-RPD chief James Sheppard running for County Legislature". Democrat & Chronicle. Retrieved March 20, 2017.
- ↑ "City of Rochester - Police Chief Sheppard Sworn In at City Hall Ceremony". Retrieved March 26, 2017.
- ↑ Hand, Jon (November 20, 2013). "Rochester Police Chief James Sheppard retiring". "Democrat & Chronicle. Retrieved March 26, 2017.
- ↑ Sharp, Brian (January 14, 2017). "Sheppard officially announces run for mayor". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
- ↑ Saunders, Anne (March 8, 2017). "Sheppard wins first endorsements". Rochester Business Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
- ↑ "Sheppard wins first Democratic Committee endorsement for Mayor". WHEC News. March 8, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2017.
- ↑ 5 of 6 Democratic Commitees have Endorsed Sheppard for Mayor Spectrum News. March 23, 2017. Retrieved March 26, 2017
Further reading[edit]
Lovelace, Nilan. The Controversy and Praise of James Sheppard, a Son of Rochester [1]
External links[edit]
| Police appointments | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by David T. Moore |
Chief of the Rochester Police Department November 11th, 2010 – December 20th, 2013 |
Succeeded by Michael Ciminelli (interim) |
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