New Chief of Salem Police Announced

Photo Credit: Mayor Kim Driscoll’s office.

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll announced on Thursday that acting Captain Mary Butler of the Salem Police Department will be appointed the city’s next Chief of Police.

Chief Butler was promoted from lieutenant to acting captain in December 2014.

In that capacity she served as the commanding officer of the department’s special operations division, with oversight of the community impact unit, special response unit, traffic division, and records office. She has served with the Salem Police Department since 1987, where she has overseen patrol division and the community impact unit as a lieutenant, served as public information officer and detective, and worked as administrative aide to former Chief Robert M. St. Pierre.

“I am thrilled to appoint Captain Butler to be Salem’s next Chief,” said Mayor Driscoll in a news release. “Throughout her career Mary has demonstrated the utmost integrity and professionalism in her approach to policing and true leadership in the department. Salem was fortunate to have three exceptionally strong finalists for this position. In the end I believe the department and our City will be well served by Chief Mary Butler.”

Chief Butler has prepared and managed the department budget for 18 years, managed staff and personnel issues, written and secured over fifty grants, designed and supervised technological improvements for dispatch and communications, and developed cross-functional training programs to improve community policing, regional and inter-jurisdictional policing, and crime mapping, according to the mayor’s office.

Chief Butler said she was extremely excited and enthusiastic to have this opportunity to serve as the city’s police chief.

“One of the first actions I will undertake will be a complete review of the structure and administration of the department,” said Chief Butler. “I look forward to meeting with all the stakeholders in our community – neighborhood associations, business owners, elected officials, and our police officers themselves – to put together an action plan for the further improvement and professionalization of our department. I expect to have that plan ready for the Mayor and City Council later this spring. It will provide an overview of any new policies and structural changes that I believe will best move the department forward.”

A swearing-in ceremony will take place at Old Town Hall later this month on a date to be announced.