Kevin James sworn in as Rome's new police chief

Kevin M. James has officially become Rome’s new chief of police.

Surrounded by friends, family, coworkers, and officials, not a chair in the Common Council Chamber was left vacant during his inauguration ceremony.

James, a Rome native, began as a police officer in Boonville in 2003 before joining the Rome department. He was promoted to the rank of detective in 2014, detective division commander in 2020, and later the rank of captain in 2022.

Stepping into his new role as police chief marks the official retirement of David J. Collins.

Collins noted that the police department, as a paramilitary structure, benefits from the traditional change of command every two years.

“With a new administration comes new ideas and visions,” said Collins, “I believe this timing is perfect. As Mayor Lanigan steps into office it’s fitting to have a new police chief to help push his agenda forward.”

Passing the torch

Mayor Jeff Lanigan - a former Rome police officer - and James worked together for years in the Rome Police Department.

“When I used to work patrol, Kevin was a staple on the midnight shift,” said Lanigan. “On the SWAT team he was my point man – he always had my back. I’ve always looked up to Kevin. He’s not just a leader; he’s proactive and reliable.”

Public Safety Commissioner Kenneth W. White also assured his confidence in James.

“I want to commend you for your many years of dedication up to this point," he said. "I know you will bring that same work ethic to the role of police chief and I look forward to the changes you will make.”

Goals and aspirations

“This is a challenging time in law enforcement with agencies across the country facing staffing shortages and community distrust,” said James. “I am ready to face these hurdles with a team mentality and collaboration.”

In response to the national staffing shortage he proposed a budget be developed, particularly for job advertisements. He also emphasized the importance of training, to ensure best practices and uplift new officers.

At the ceremony James outlined his administration’s core principles: accountability, training, crime management, and recruitment/retention.

"I find myself returning to a quote that retired Lt. Mark Liddy used to say," shared James. "We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.”

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Rome celebrates Kevin James as new police chief