Antoine Ensley

FLETCHER -- After a little more than a year on the job, Police Chief Antoine Ensley announced Monday he is leaving the agency's top post for a management position in Virginia.

Ensley will leave the Fletcher Police Department on Friday, May 27, for a position as deputy superintendent of the Department of Human Services in Norfolk, Va.He will oversee the city's juvenile detention facility and will administer programs aimed at helping juvenile delinquents, he said.

"It's an opportunity to grow and impact some youth who are a huge part of (the criminal justice) system," Ensley said.

The new job is more about "personal career development" than leaving law enforcement, Ensley said.His career plans include city management, he said.

"While this was not part of the original career plan with the Town of Fletcher, I feel this opportunity to move into more of a municipal management position offers me more career advancement and opportunity outside of the police department," Ensley wrote in his resignation letter to the town."Also, I believe that I am best served professionally as a manager in a larger community with greater resources."

The new position also is an opportunity to move his wife and two sons back to a big city.Initially, Ensley said his family was excited about living in a small town.But in the past year, they realized they prefer urban life, he said.

Ensley, who has 13 years of law enforcement experience,was hired in February 2004 to replace retired Chief John Moss.
...
Fletcher officials said they are sad to see Ensley go.

"We wish nothing but the best for Antoine and his family," said Mayor Bill Moore.
...
In the past 15 months, Ensley has been credited with reorganizing the police department, upgrading its technology and improving staff by hiring more officers with college education.

Ensley came under criticism last fall after several officers quit during his first year on the job.The former employees accused him of behaving unprofessionally toward his staff and making scheduling changes that compromised officer safety.

After discussing the complaints in a more than five-hour closed meeting, town council members voiced their support for Ensley.
...
Ensley said he is "absolutely" going to miss Fletcher.'

"I will miss the citizens here because I think they've been very supportive of what we've tried to do in the police department here," he said.

ANTOINE ENSLEY is employed by Norfolk Human Services as the Superintendent of the Norfolk Juvenile Detention Home. Prior to moving to Virginia in 2005, he served as Chief of Police of the Fletcher (NC) Police Department. Over the course of a twelve year career in law enforcement, Ensley also held the positions of Training Officer, Community Problem Oriented Police Officer, Background Investigator/Recruiter, Shift Commander and SWAT-Hostage/Crisis Negotiator. In 1995 Ensley was named the City of Charlotte's Employee of the Year. In 1996, he was named the Charlotte Jaycee's Outstanding Young Black Professional. Ensley has a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from the University of North Caroline at Charlotte, a master of business administration degree from Pfeiffer University and a certificate from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Academy.