In the New London Day, there is a picture of the new Police Chief, Brian Wright (July 15). The fact that he is Black should be of no consequence to me or anyone else. However, I do wish him well, and sincerely hope he becomes the best chief that New London ever had.

Of course, it also reminds me of an incident from my days in the Coast Guard. Once,  in the off-hours from a school I was attending, I visited the chiefs' club, where they were having a retirement party for a chief who someone mentioned to me was Black. It was hard to tell from his grizzled, weather-beaten face that reflected his many years at sea, but what I really remember most is his retirement message, which was short and sweet. If I remember correctly, he said, "I may not talk too good, and I may not look too good, and maybe everything I ever did wasn't perfect, but I'm a damn good chief." And, as I shortly found out, he was.

W.R. Antonowicz

Ledyard