NATCHEZ — Two unexpected motions by two Natchez aldermen to hire two different candidates to be the next police chief just two weeks apart have caused public protest and outcry and prompted some to believe that racial lines are at times clearly drawn in the Natchez City Council Chambers.

The protests and outcry against what some are calling racism and discrimination all come after Ward 5 Alderman Mark Fortenbery made a motion to hire Rudolph A. Babin, a Baton Rouge Police Department captain, at Tuesday’s aldermen meeting.

Ward 1 Alderwoman Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis, Ward 2 Alderman James “Rickey” Gray and Ward 4 Alderman Ernest “Tony” Fields walked out of the meeting with the motion on the floor in protest against what they say is a racially motivated push to not permanently hire Interim Police Chief Danny White, who is black.

Fortenbery withdrew his motion before the meeting ended prematurely for lack of a quorum.

Fortenbery said race or any other personal issue is not a motivating factor in who he votes to hire for any position.

“I don’t care if you are a man or a woman, black, white, pink or purple, the job should go to who is most qualified,” he said.

Fortenbery said he did not anticipate his motion causing such a controversy in the city.

“I never in a million years thought making a motion to support who I thought was best would come to all this,” he said. “There was nothing racist about my motion; it’s who is best qualified, but people can have their own opinion about it.”

Fortenbery said he does not think the public can make a judgment on which candidate they think is best for chief because they have not seen the credentials for all candidates.

“I’m not saying (Interim) Chief White has a bad resume or credentials, I am just saying I thought the other candidate’s credentials were better for the City of Natchez,” he said.

Ward 3 Alderman Bob Pollard, who seconded Fortenbery’s motion to hire Babin, said his support of Babin had absolutely nothing to do with race.

“It’s qualifications,” Pollard said. “I based my support of Babin on his interview and his résumé. And I don’t have any preference whether (the new chief) comes from inside the department or outside.”

Pollard said he still contends that the decision to hire a police chief should be handled after July 1, when the newly-elected board would take office.

“I don’t think it’s fair to hire someone now when he could be fired in two months when the new board takes office,” Pollard said. “I just don’t think that’s fair to whoever we hire, and I’ve stood on that position for months.”

Mathis said she walked out of Tuesday’s meeting because she did not believe Fortenbery’s motion was appropriate.

She said the entire board was complimentary to White at the April 10 meeting, when Gray made a motion that failed to hire White as chief.