The newspaper in Charleston, where Little Rock Police Chief Kenton Buckner is one of five finalists for the chief’s job, has turned attention to Buckner’s record in Little Rock, particularly some conflicts with black officers.

The article, relying in part on press accounts here, including our own, also mentions Buckner’s loss of his gun, which turned up in the hands of a suspicoius 20-year-old.

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Race relations are an issue in Charleston, the Post and Courier reported:

The city hired the consulting firm Police Executive Research Forum to conduct the nationwide search for candidates over the past six months.

The hiring process comes as police departments nationwide and in the Lowcountry are being more closely scrutinized by minority communities.

While Mullen implemented strategies to strengthen the department’s ties with black residents, the city was repeatedly called on by the Charleston Area Justice Ministry over the past year to investigate the department for allegedly racially biased practices.

The dispute was resolved recently when the city agreed to find a new firm to conduct an independent review of the department.

Buckner didn’t respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.  Charleston officials are to interview candidates Tuesday.

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