Tempe announces Kenneth McCoy as new police chief
Tempe has named a new head of police following a months-long search.
City Manager Andrew Ching announced the appointment of Kenneth McCoy, a retired Anchorage, Alaska police head to run the Tempe Police Department. McCoy will start June 5, according to the City of Tempe.
“Being a good police chief takes law enforcement expertise, management skills, leadership abilities and an abundance of character. Kenneth McCoy has those attributes and many more,” Ching said in a statement. “I have every confidence that he will solidly lead the Tempe Police Department into the future.”
McCoy succeeds Jeff Glover, who left the department Feb. 13 after Gov. Katie Hobbs named him director of the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
The new chief previously served as Anchorage Police Department chief for 27 years until his 2022 retirement, according to the City of Tempe. In that role, McCoy worked patrol, internal affairs and as a detective, the City of Tempe added.
“I’m honored to be joining the Tempe Police Department as their new chief, and I can’t wait to connect with the community,” McCoy said in a statement. “Together, we’ll work to build an even safer, stronger and more united Tempe.”
McCoy is a U.S. Army veteran with 10 years in the Alaska Army National Guard, the city said. McCoy has a bachelor’s degree in justice from the University of Alaska Anchorage and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the FBI National Executive Institute, the city mentioned.
McCoy is currently chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for Providence, an Alaska-based nonprofit healthcare organization, according to the city.
Tempe Officers Association President Sgt. Rob Ferraro said in a statement that he looked forward to working with McCoy.
Candidates for police chief came from within the department and from outside and McCoy was among four finalists, the city detailed. Tempe's current interim police chief, Josie Montenegro, was also a finalist.
Tempe's city charter lays the authorization to hire a police chief to Ching in his role as city manager, the city mentioned.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Tempe announces Kenneth McCoy as new police chief
