City leaders held a surprise news conference today (Wednesday) and named Jennings as a new police head. Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles says it’s a “new era”, saying city officials looked far and wide for candidates, but it was Jennings who fit the bill.

Jennings says it’s a bit early to lay out his ‘to-do list’, but he plans to collaborate with current Police Chief Kerr Putney until he retires in the fall. Putney was originally set to retire in January 2020 but has since changed his plans to retire until after the Republic National Convention scheduled to take place in Charlotte in late August. Putney says he does plan to retire before the year ends. Jennings will be sworn in shortly after that.