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First, the City Council hired a new city manager.

Then, voters elected a new mayor.

Finally, the police chief announced he'll retire within the next year.

This is really a time of changes for the city of Greensboro. Which means a time of opportunities.

Tim Bellamy's statement Wednesday wasn't unexpected. During this fall's City Council campaign, several candidates said they anticipated the chief would step down during 2010. New City Manager Rashad Young said last month he'd heard the rumors but hadn't gotten the word directly from Bellamy. There's still been no firm date given, but news of Bellamy's general intent should set Young in motion on one of the most important tasks he'll have during the early stages of his tenure.

The city manager's decision

He'll get plenty of advice and probably some guidance from the city's elected leaders. But it's necessary to note that hiring a police chief is the manager's responsibility. All city employees work for him; he works for the council. The arrangement is meant to reduce potential political influence over city operations. The police department does not need political meddling.

At the same time, there's obvious public concern about its effectiveness and inner workings that beckons the council's interest and attention. There's been too much turmoil in this department in recent years, including dissatisfaction with work schedules; a not-so-secret internal investigation of a high-profile officer; allegations of racial discrimination; the forced resignation of former Chief David Wray; lawsuits and complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; and highly publicized episodes of bad behavior by a small number of officers.

It's difficult enough to keep crime in check when a police department runs smoothly. The tension generated by all these incidents hasn't helped.

Bellamy faced tough situation

Bellamy, who rose through the ranks of the Greensboro department, stepped into a challenging situation as interim chief in early 2006, then had to wait a year before gaining the permanent appointment. He eased some of the department's troubles and led initiatives responding to several demands for police action, including gun violence, gangs and break-ins. Some have produced positive results.

Still, there's a feeling that the department needs more dynamic leadership. Mayor-elect Bill Knight has questioned whether Bellamy was the best choice to begin with. That's not a question easily answered. Bellamy knew the department and could step up immediately to keep it functioning, so that seemed to make him the right man at the right time. He ought to be commended for taking on that task.

Now might be the time to look outside the department for someone with a proven record of law-enforcement leadership who can make an objective evaluation and offer new ideas.

In other words, to follow the same approach the council took in hiring Young, an up-and-coming executive who had been named city manager in Dayton, Ohio, at the age of 30 in 2006.

Wanted: A record of achievement

Young should look for a chief who's made an impact in another city with strategies that likely would work as well in Greensboro. He should find a chief or high-ranking officer who has effectively managed a diverse agency in a multicultural city and won the trust of officers and the community.

The next chief should have experience as a patrol officer and in other hands-on aspects of police work. He, or she, must have effective communication skills. The chief must reach out to a wide variety of agencies for help in preventing crime and effectively responding to it. Those include schools and other organizations that serve young people, neighborhood groups, the faith community, other local, state and federal law-enforcement agencies, and the court system.

Don't miss the opportunity

This person must recognize that Greensboro is tough on police chiefs and still be willing and eager to accept that challenge and set the ambitious goal of building a department that is second to none, where the best law-enforcement professionals want to work.

Young shouldn't settle for anyone who falls short of that commitment, and the City Council shouldn't let him.

Greensboro has the opportunity to get past its police troubles and create a safer city. It can't afford to miss it.