Capt. Akenra X to be Alliance's next police chief
(Editor's name: Capt. X's first name is Akenra. It was misspelled in an earlier version).
ALLIANCE ‒ Capt. Akenra X will become Alliance's first Black police chief when Scott Griffith retires.
The 62-year-old was certified Sept. 21 by the Alliance Civil Service Commission as top scorer on the promotional exam, Safety-Service Director Mike Dreger said. There was one other candidate.
X, a 1979 graduate of Timken High School in Canton and U.S. Navy veteran, has been with the Alliance Police Department for 15 years. He previously worked for the Canton Police Department.
X has been operations captain since November 2022, overseeing the Patrol Division and Canine Unit. He is married with three adult children.
Being the first Black police chief, X said, "that certainly means a lot to me, to show other Black males and females that you can rise to this position if you work hard and keep your nose to the grindstone.
"My road has been a very winding road to get to this place, and at every level I prayed to God for guidance."
Griffith has not set an official retirement date. He is expected to leave his position before Jan. 1, 2024.
Meanwhile, X said he will maintain his current duties and work with Griffith for a smooth transition.
Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On X (formerly Twitter): @bduerREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Capt. Akenra X to be Alliance Police chief
