Robin Lees, Youngstown’s police chief for the past seven years, was fired by Mayor Jamael Tito Brown because of differences about the department’s direction.

YOUNGSTOWN — Mayor Jamael Tito Brown fired Robin Lees, police chief for the past seven years, because of differing opinions about the department’s direction.

Lees said his last day will be Jan. 15.

He said Thursday that Brown “was looking for a different approach. He’s looking for a change in direction is the best way I could describe it.”

Lees added Brown “knows what I bring to the table, and he wants to go in a different direction. He’s familiar with how I run the department.”

Lees said he planned to retire as chief at the end of the year before Brown informed him Thursday that he was fired.

“You take an appointment, and you understand it comes with the potential you can be unappointed,” Lees said. “You serve at the pleasure of the mayor. You go into the job with that understanding. You come in with grace, and you go out with grace.”

Brown said: “After meeting with the chief to map out a police policy for Youngstown in a new era, it is clear that as mayor, the chief and I acknowledge there are different strategies and different philosophies of police work, and I have chosen to move in a different direction.”

Brown, who is running for re-election this year, said he immediately would seek an interim chief while conducting “an extensive search for a person ready to face the challenges of a new era.”

Regarding what he’s looking for from the police department, Brown said he wants “to develop a new strategy for innovative community involvement for safety and security for all residents. I have a vision for the development of community-based policing that will require more interaction with social services, mental health services and extensive training that focuses on the needs of the citizens of Youngstown.”

LEES’ EXPERIENCE

Lees joined the city force in 1976 as an auxiliary officer and was hired as a full-time patrol officer in December 1978. Lees was promoted to sergeant in 1988 and lieutenant in 1996.

During his career, Lees was commander of the Mahoning Valley Task Force and Regional SWAT Team and served in numerous other capacities, including the department’s public information officer and on the vice squad.

Lees retired in early 2011 after more than 30 years on the force.

He then worked part time for Youngstown State University and was the head of security for the Butler Institute of American Art.

A chance meeting with Mayor-elect John A. McNally in late 2013 led to Lees returning to the department in January 2014 as police chief.

During his time as chief, Lees focused on community policing and worked to increase diversity in hiring.

After Brown was elected in 2017 — beating McNally in the Democratic primary and then winning the general election — he chose to retain Lees as chief. It was an atypical move as incoming mayors going back several decades have selected new police chiefs.

Councilwoman Anita Davis, chairwoman of the safety committee who served on the Youngstown police force from 1978 to 2014, had several issues with Lees, including take-home cars for the department and overtime costs.

“I was not happy with Robin,” she said. “We had a difference of opinion when we were on the job together regarding crime prevention. Also, I believe the police chief should be an elected position like Mahoning County residents vote for a sheriff.”

Lees said he opposes the change.

Davis said she also wants a chief who resides in the city; Lees lives in Poland.

But Davis, who started full time at the department the same year as Lees, added: “Robin was a good patrol officer.”

Capt. Rod Foley, who was police chief when Charles Sammarone was mayor, was moved from head of the road-patrol division to lead the detective division a few days ago. Lees said at the time that the change was prompted by the desire of Capt. Brad Blackburn, who ran the detective division, to bid on Foley’s position.