Former Portsmouth Police Chief Angela Greene hired to lead force in Lexington

Former Portsmouth Police Chief Angela Greene was hired to lead the police department in Lexington.

The city manager of the western Virginia municipality announced Greene’s appointment in a news release Thursday. She will start May 10.

Greene was fired as Portsmouth’s chief in November, about three months after she announced felony charges against 19 people — including state Sen. Louise Lucas, NAACP leaders, a school board member and several public defenders — stemming from a June protest and vandalism at the city’s Confederate monument.

Her firing came the same day a judge dismissed all charges in the case at the request of the city’s elected prosecutor, who said there was not enough evidence to prove the required elements of the crimes.

A law firm representing Greene sent a letter to Portsmouth’s mayor, interim city attorney and interim city manager in December saying she plans to sue the city for wrongful termination, defamation, conspiracy and interfering with her contract.

Greene’s hiring in Lexington came after an “extensive recruitment process” led by the state Association of Chiefs of Police, according to the news release. The process included two interview panels, one of which was composed of community members. Nineteen people applied for the job.

“Chief Greene is a highly skilled law enforcement professional, and will be a tremendous asset for the department and for the community,” Dana Schrad, executive director of the statewide police chiefs association, is quoted as saying in the release. “We’re extremely pleased that she will be the next Lexington police chief.”

Lexington is about 55 miles northeast of Roanoke and has an estimated population of about 7,400, according to U.S. Census data. The city is home to Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University.

In the release, Greene said she was “ecstatic” to become part of the Lexington “family” and lead the police force: “Working in partnership with our community, we will continue the successes in public safety that the city has enjoyed over the years, while elevating the levels of community collaboration and improving the quality of life for everyone.”

Margaret Matray, 757-222-5216, margaret.matray@pilotonline.com