Chiefs by Stuart Woods

Chiefs (Will Lee Novel) - Book 1:Will Henry Lee, facing the boll weevle has decided to let the bank take over his farm and applies for the Chief of Police position in Delano, Georgia.  On his first day of the job, he catches bank robbers as they were making their getaway, ingratiating him immediately with the town.  After he has been their awhile, a body is found in the woods near the edge of town.  Will suspects Foxy Funderburke but has no proof.

Book 2:Billy Lee, Will Lee's son, returns home after WWII with an Irish wife.  With Hugh Holmes help, he enters the Georgia polical ring.  Sonny Butts, also returning home is hired on the Delano police force.  Billy is for helping the blacks integrate and make their place in the community.  Sonny is for keeping them as 3rd class citizens with no rights at all.

Book 3:Billy Lee, now lieutenant govenor of Georgia, suggests that Delano hire Tucker Watts, a black man, as chief of police.