Lawbreakers in Bessemer City may glimpse a different side of the city manager.
Bessemer City Manager James Inman has started responding to 911 calls on the weekends.
His first shift started last Saturday.
Inman suited up in a police uniform and responded to domestic disputes, neighborhood disturbances and shoplifting calls.
Inman has a background in law enforcement, and he said putting in some hours allows him to keep his state certification.
“I don’t want to lose my certification. I’ve been a sworn officer for 30 years,” Inman said.
The Bessemer City Police Department opened for business July 1 after 14 years of relying on Gaston County Police to protect the city.
Thus far, the department has a police chief, two sergeants and a handful of full- and part-time patrol officers.
Though Inman is the city manager, he said he’s not trying to step on any toes at the police department. Tom Ellis remains the chief of police, Inman said.
Inman said he just wants to pitch in.
“I worked ... to give them a break,” Inman said. “Since he’s training so many new officers, they just needed some help.”
Inman keeps standard office hours in City Hall Monday through Friday. But he’ll now be putting in extra time with the police department. Inman said he’s not being paid to patrol the streets.
“That’s part of being a small town city manager,” he said. “I’m doing it to try to help the community.”
Inman doesn’t expect to keep up the schedule for too long. He anticipates the police force will eventually be able to spare him. And he’s not sure how long his wife, Michelle, will be content with him working a seven-day-a-week schedule.
“I don’t think I’ll be working patrol more than a couple of months. It takes time away from my family,” he said.
Inman and his family came to Bessemer City about a year ago.
Prior to moving to Gaston County, Inman served as the town administrator in Locust. He also did police work in that town.
Inman said he’s taken to city administration, but he can’t shake his roots in law enforcement.
When Inman decreases his time patrolling Bessemer City, he’ll likely still stay on the department’s reserve and possibly step in to help with investigations — something he did while working in Concord.
Inman said he strives to meet people in the community but that’s not always easy when you’re in an office. Riding around in a patrol car has given him a unique opportunity.
He said over the course of one weekend he probably talked to 50 people who were out tending to their lawns or walking down the street.
“I like that I get to be out in the community more. I’m out in the neighborhoods talking to people,” he said. “It is interesting to be able to do that.”
You can reach Diane Turbyfill at 704-869-1817 and twitter.com/GazetteDiane.