Alexandria police chief to transition to new Public Safety Special Services director role

Chief Ronney Howard will become director of Public Safety Special Services, according to a Thursday news release from the city of Alexandria.

Howard became interim chief of the Alexandria Police Department in November 2020, officially gaining the title on May 28, 2021, when former Mayor Jeff Hall named him to the post.

At Tuesday's Alexandria City Council meeting, Mayor Jacques Roy said there would be changes at both the police and fire departments, according to a KALB-TV report.

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On Thursday, the city issued the release that said Howard had accepted the new position. He will remain chief and transition to the directorship, which will oversee at least three offices and a liaison role — the office of gun violence, the office of independent audit and internal affairs for public safety and the offices of juvenile services, focused deterrence and organized crime.

The liaison role would be "to other law enforcement for optimizing interagency and interoperability," reads the release.

The release did not specify a date for the transition.

This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: City: Ronney Howard to become Public Safety Special Services director