THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, July 3, 1996 TAG: 9607030468
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 51 lines
By Tuesday, his second day as head of the Suffolk Police Department, Maj. William A. Freeman had lost his jitters.
``I think I felt the pressure more before July 1 came around,'' said Freeman, who was named acting chief of the 116-member squad on Monday.
When City Manager Myles E. Standish asked him to fill in for former Chief Gilbert F. ``Spud'' Jackson, Freeman was anxious and apprehensive. He has nearly 25 years' experience in law enforcement and for the past 20 years had reported to Jackson, who retired June 30. Freeman will assume the additional duties until a permanent department head is chosen.
At first, thinking of shouldering the responsibilities of chief made him nervous.
``But I realized the officers are going to continue to do the job,'' he said Tuesday. ``And I am going to continue to support the officers and to provide the services the city needs.''
Freeman, 47, joined the newly organized Nansemond County Police Department as a patrolman in November 1971.
``We only had three or four people on the street on a shift,'' he said. ``Hopefully, that helped us all become better officers.''
Within three years, the county had incorporated into a city and merged with Suffolk to form the state's largest municipality in land mass. Now the 430-square-mile city is experiencing growth that challenges all city services, including the Police Department.
``Services are being demanded and requested,'' he said. ``It's a challenge for us to decide whether to work harder or work smarter.
``With 430 square miles to cover, there is no way we can be everywhere and answer every call immediately.''
Freeman, a Suffolk native, has served in the detective bureau, the uniform patrol division and a narcotics squad. In 1993, he took over the uniform services division.
He claims he doesn't know how he got into police work. But somewhere along the way, he decided he could be of service.
``I used to see guys get in fights and wonder why someone didn't break it up,'' he said. ``And then, another side of me wondered whether I would be able to do something in that same set of circumstances.''
Freeman could be in the temporary position for a month or more. City officials are searching for the ``right person'' among more than 100 applicants for the job.
Freeman says he doesn't want the job on a permanent basis. Meantime, however, he's keeping his responsibilities in order.
``Basically, I was hired to be a police officer, and that is what I will always be,'' he said.
KEYWORDS: SUFFOLK POLICE DEPARTMENT by CNB