>> reporter: the police union has fought with chief cathy lanier over staffing and assignments and says it has worked well with newsham. >> whoever that chief is going to be, they want a chief that is going to back the working officer. >> i think our number one priority as an organization is public safety. i want people to feel safe. >> he was named assistant chief in 2002. he'll replace lanier who citywide has been very popular and visible. >> i intend to be very visible. i intend to be as visible as i can be. i'm not cathy lanier. i'm peter newsham and i hope that the community will see me for what i am. >> again, he officially takes over on september 17th and he'll be spending a lot of time in the next couple of weeks with chief lanier as she gets ready to be the security chie >> she has a lot to share with him and leave with him. one thing i'm thinking of and i'm curious to know what you think, that he will not follow from the chief.