Former Portsmouth, Virginia Police Chief Angela Greene was wrongfully terminated from her position as chief of police solely because she directed her officers to seek criminal charges against those responsible for unlawfully destroying a Confederate monument during a riot.

Chief Greene began her law enforcement career in 2001, with the Richmond, VA Police Department. In 2016, she achieved the rank of Captain. The same year she was appointed Assistant Chief of Police of the Portsmouth Police Department. In 2019, she was appointed Chief of Police. She is a true leader; respected by the community she serves and the officers she leads.

On June 10, 2020, the nationwide riots that occurred after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, there was a protest at the Confederate monument on Portsmouth. The protest ultimately devolved into a riot which resulted in the criminal destruction of the monument. Chief Greene and her department investigated the incident to identify those responsible for the destruction. Ultimately, 19 individuals, including a Virginia state senator, were charged with felony destruction of property.

Almost immediately, several members of the Portsmouth City Council began calling for Chief Greene’s firing. Shortly thereafter, Chief Greene was placed on administrative leave. In November, her employment was terminated by the city.

Chief Greene had the courage to stand up and defend the rule of law, notwithstanding the political consequences. Not only is her termination illegal, it threatens to undermine law and order across the country by intimidating police officials into tolerating lawlessness for fear of losing their jobs.