New Memphis police chief Toney Armstrong is making many personnel shifts, saying that his longtime predecessor Larry Godwin had created “monsters” inside the department, reports the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I am the monster killer,” Armstrong told an internal meeting. “I can promise you that. I will cut the head off of every monster that has been created.”
Armstrong vowed at the meeting to take action against people viewed as loyal to Godwin. He forced two colonels with more than 25 years on the force into retirement, reassigned award-winning officers with ties to Godwin, and surrounded himself with long-time friends and co-workers. Godwin’s son, Anthony, who was assigned to the elite Organized Crime Unit, now works the 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. shift. One of the fired officials said, “He’s talking about monsters and Larry Godwin helped create him.”