FERGUSON, Mo. — Troy Doyle, a former lieutenant colonel with the St. Louis County Police Department, was named the new police chief of Ferguson Tuesday night.
Only 5 On Your Side was there as Doyle was approved by a unanimous vote by the city council at a public meeting Tuesday night. He begins his new role as chief on April 1.
Former Ferguson Police Chief Frank McCall resigned last month. Captain Harry Dilworth has been filling in as interim chief since Feb. 24.
McCall was Ferguson's seventh police chief in as many years when he was promoted to the job in 2021.
The selection comes less than a week after Doyle announced his retirement from the St. Louis County Police Department. In a tweet on March 10, Doyle said he would be retiring from the department effective March 24.
In an interview last week, Doyle said it was hard to leave the department after 31 years, but added "I don’t plan on staying retired for long.”
Doyle was once the go-to guy for previous police chiefs in need of someone to address high-profile issues. He was sent to the county jail following multiple deaths there and he served in high-crime areas of north St. Louis County.
"My whole career, I've been kind of known as a fixer so to speak," he told 5 On Your Side moments after his appointment.
Now his goal of becoming a police chief has become reality. He has his work cut out for him. The Ferguson Police Department is working to comply with improvement recommendations from the federal government following the fatal shooting of Mike Brown.
"Although some people look at the consent decree as a negative, it's actually a positive because what it does is help and set guidelines for the police department to help us police in a way that's fair and equitable," he said.
The department is also working to get its accreditation restored. To get it all done, Doyle plans to have an open-door policy.
"Address your concerns, take your suggestions and ideas so we can work hand in hand to make Ferguson a secure and inviting place to live work and play," he told the community during a speech Tuesday.
After he was passed over for the St. Louis County police chief position in 2019, he filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging that Sam Page ordered the board not to pick him as chief because campaign donors did not want a Black police chief.
Page fired back, saying Doyle was his pick for chief, but that the board chose someone else because they operate independently of him.
"Any animosity towards the county?" 5 On Your Side asked.
"Not at all. I had a great 31 years with the St. Louis County police department. I know I reached a point where I feel progress was kind of stopped," he responded.
When asked about the suit Tuesday, Doyle responded, "I'll let you talk with my attorney".
Previously, Doyle's attorney provided 5 On Your Side with an audio recording in which Page tells Doyle, “The police board does what I tell them to do.”
Doyle later filed a discrimination lawsuit, which is scheduled to go to trial in 2024.