>> Welcome, everybody.

BILLY SHIELDS: Chesterfield made history when it named Lieutenant Colonel Frank Carpenter its first Black police chief.

FRANK CARPENTER: Anything that is a first is significant, but I don't want it to be measured based on that.

I want to be measured based on the heart and the fact that I desire to serve this community, whether I'm Black, blue, green, yellow or pink.

BILLY SHIELDS: Carpenter's appointment comes after a five member committee spent six months considering candidates.

The department celebrated his selection in front of the Chesterfield County Courthouse.

JIM HOLLAND: So we had someone who had the skill set, who had the right mindset, and who had the right culture in mind to lead this department.

BILLY SHIELDS: There are some controversies he'll have to deal with.

One is in court, where the county is fending off a FOIA request to reveal the identities and salaries of its officers.

FRANK CARPENTER: So anything we can do to protect the identity of our officers because they're subject to go in any particular area of the department, that could be a covert capacity, we're going to do that.

Now, if the courts change that decision, then we'll have to adjust accordingly.

BILLY SHIELDS: He is also taking over at a time when parents in the county are concerned about the safety of the school system.

Last month, a stabbing occurred in the halls of Meadowbrook High.

FRANK CARPENTER: We don't want that to happen again.

We're collaborating with school board officials as well as school administration on what we can do to assist, to curve weapons in our school systems.

BILLY SHIELDS: Carpenter is the ninth police chief in Chesterfield since the county established its police department in 1914.

Billy Shields, VPM News.