Admitting there were tough times when he first began his five-year stint as McMinnville police chief, Charlie Sewell said he believes he is leaving McMinnville with one of the best police departments in the state of Tennessee.“I am very proud to have been part of McMinnville Police Department and part of the city of McMinnville,” Sewell told members of McMinnville’s Noon Exchange Club yesterday. Sewell is leaving next month to take the police chief job in Powder Springs, Ga. “I think I’ve been successful here because of the great people of the department.”Sewell admitted times were not always so smooth, noting early issues where members of the department were not happy about changes he was making when he first started as chief. The issues led to several officers coming forward and criticizing the moves in two articles appearing in the newspaper entitled “Badge of Discontent.”Sewell said it was his excitement over how to improve the department that made him move a little too swiftly at making changes in the beginning.“At some point Deputy Chief Bryan Denton came to me and told me to slow down.”