The Little Rock mayor is implementing a 2007 ordinance which allows the mayor to hire department heads, including police chief.

Frank Scott Jr., the new mayor of Little Rock, will implement a 2007 ordinance that allows him "executive powers" to hire department heads, which means he will choose the city's next police chief.

In a press release, the city explained that the 2007 ordinance would allow Scott to be the "Chief Executive Officer of the city and the City Manager shall be the Chief Administrative Officer of the city."

What the means is that all departments will report to the city manager except six departments, which will report to the mayor. Those six departments are: finance, fire, human resources, planning and development, police and public works.

"The mayor will exercise his executive powers to hire department heads, including our next police chief," the press release stated.

This ordinance also gives the mayor the ability to "nominate, hire or remove the city manager and the city attorney." But that decision must be approved by the board of directors.

"More than 10 years ago, the citizens of our great city voted for change in leadership at city hall and in December they elected me to bring it forth," Scott said.