Kenneth McCoy, who served as chief of the Anchorage Police Department for less than a year before unexpectedly retiring, has been named the next chief of police for the city of Tempe, Arizona.
McCoy made the announcement today on Twitter.
“I am thrilled to announce that I have been selected as the new Chief of Police of the Tempe Police Department,” McCoy wrote. “I am so grateful for this opportunity. I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to the Anchorage community, the men and women of APD, and Providence. Thank you for believing in me! I look forward to working with the members of the Tempe Police Department and meeting the citizens of Tempe. We are better together! Thanks again for all your support!”
McCoy, who served in the Anchorage Police Department for 27 years, became the first Black police chief in APD’s 100-year history when Acting Mayor Austin Quinn-Davidson appointed him in an acting role in April 2021. Mayor Dave Bronson removed the acting title in July 2021. McCoy’s retirement, announced in November 2021 and effective on February 1, 2022, came as a surprise to the community and was one of the earlier resignations in a continuous string of departures in municipal leadership under the Bronson administration.
McCoy did not provide a reason for resigning but said at the time that the decision came “after much reflection and thoughtful consideration.”
“There was so much unfinished business and potential for growth in the area of police community relations and it was a job that I truly, truly loved,” McCoy told the president of the Alaska Black Caucus, Celeste Hodge Growden during a community conversation shortly after his resignation.
There has been speculation in the community that McCoy, who was born and raised in Anchorage, may have retired due to improper demands from members of the Bronson Administration, among them that McCoy was ordered, but refused, to have APD officers leave Assembly chambers during contentious mask mandate hearings in October 2021.
During his time as Police Chief, McCoy spearheaded efforts to implement police-worn body cameras, increase police department transparency and improve relations between APD and the community. When he left, Assembly member Suzanne LaFrance said it was “a loss for our community.”
“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,” wrote Tempe City Manager Andrew Ching in a press release announcing McCoy’s hiring. “I have every confidence that he will solidly lead the Tempe Police Department into the future.”
