All of which brings us to the inflammatory example of Baltimore police Commissioner Edward Norris, who is white, and Deputy Commissioner Barry Powell, who is black. When Norris fired Powell on May 11, folks took predictable positions. Meanwhile, others have vigorously denied that racism was even a possibility, as though no man or woman in the history of this charming city has ever been victimized by bigotry. Interestingly, neither side has offered much proof either way. Therefore, as a public service, I am going to examine the question as a hypothetical case.
Race has nothing to do with competence.
Argue that Powell's nearly 30 years on the force give him an important understanding of the city, or that he had built a special relationship with communities that was too precious to toss aside, and you might have a case. If so, they damaged their case, perhaps irreparably. Trust, understanding, and competence in a police commander are qualities too important to the entire city to allow to be overshadowed by a superficial issue such as skin color. A white commander who had built trust and understanding and who had demonstrated competence would be just as precious. If so, this is too serious an issue to dismiss out of hand.