GASTONIA, N.C. — The Gastonia Police Department's newly-named police chief, Travis Brittain, will be the first in the agency's roughly 140-year history to lead the department after graduating from its youth explorer program.
Since joining the department's explorer program at 15-years-old, Brittain, who currently serves as an assistant chief, worked his way up the ranks and will take over as chief on October 1.
"At 15-years-old, certainly not that kind of thought in your mind," Brittain said about the idea of leading the department. "But as time progressed and learning the department and seeing all the awesome things that being a police officer and leading the agency can be, it started making a little more sense."
Brittain said one of his top priorities is diversifying the officers on his force, especially as the number of people interested in law enforcement careers drops.
"We ought to continue driving towards us reflecting our community as best we can," Brittain said. "That's having members of our agency that are a snapshot of our community and being as diverse as we possibly can be."
Assistant Chief Brittain played a major role in establishing a community covenant between his department and the Gaston Clergy & Citizens Coalition.
It's a pledge between police, ministers and neighbors to work together to create positive interactions between police and the community.
He credited the covenant for preventing anyone from being seriously injured during protests outside Tony's Ice Cream this summer after a customer accused the store of racism. Some protesters and counter-protesters were open carrying firearms.
"I would say that we've learned from it," Brittain said. "[What we'll] continue to utilize in the future is the partnerships that we have within the community, with our clergy and all the pieces that helped us get through that situation peacefully."