What to know about Rome's new chief of police Kevin James

Mayor-elect Jeffrey M. Lanigan appointed Rome Police Department veteran Kevin M. James as new chief of police, starting in January.

James currently serves as captain of the Detective Division. He will replace the retiring David J.Collins, officials said. Deputy Police Chief Cheyenne Schoff will remain in his position.

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.

“I am excited to bring my 20-plus years of police experience to my new role as chief of police,” James said in a statement. “I share Mayor-elect Lanigan’s view that police training should be a top priority for any police department.”

James holds an associate degree in criminal justice from Mohawk Valley Community College and a bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology from West Virginia University.

As a certified General Topics and Reality Based Training Instructor, he has leveraged his training certifications to teach various courses at Mohawk Valley Police Academy. According to officials, he was one of the two officers to pass the Rome police chief civil service examination last year.

Lanigan offered his congratulations in a statement.

“Captain James is committed to personal growth and skills development, which means he will ensure that our officers have access to critical training and certifications. With his leadership and experience, I am confident he will do an outstanding job for our community.”

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Rome NY's new mayor names Kevin James the next chief of police