Peabody Mayor Edward A. Bettencourt, Jr., is pleased to announce that Police Chief Tom Griffin has agreed to a new three-year contract with the City. Griffin began his tenure as Chief in 2014 following a distinguished 26-year career with the Salem Police Department. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from Boston University.
In Peabody, Chief Griffin has worked closely with Mayor Bettencourt to maintain department staffing levels following the Covid pandemic, which shuttered the state’s police training academies and significantly slowed officer recruitment.
Griffin is also credited with helping to envision a new public safety building, which is currently under construction adjacent to Higgins Middle School.
“Chief Griffin has been instrumental in the design and oversight of our new public safety building, which will be more open and accessible to Peabody taxpayers,” Mayor Bettencourt said. “The new facility will ensure that our police officers continue to be well-trained and well-equipped and that our city remains safe.”
An active member of the Peabody Rotary Club and Peabody Clergy & Ministerial Association, Chief Griffin has immersed himself in community service, strengthening bonds and collaborating with community leaders. His dedication to these organizations highlights his hands-on approach to community engagement.
“I am grateful to Mayor Bettencourt for his continued confidence in me,” said Chief Griffin. “Peabody is such a great place to live and work, and I look forward to seeing the new public safety building project to a successful conclusion.”
