Reading Makes It Official: David Clark Named Police Chief

READING, MA — A Reading native and 25-year veteran of the Reading Police Department was sworn in as police chief Thursday. David Clark, who had been serving as deputy chief, was appointed by the Town Manager and confirmed by the Board of Selectmen Wednesday night.

Clark joined the department in 1995, serving as a patrol officer for 10 years before being named sergeant in 2005. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2014 and became deputy chief in 2016.

During his first decade with the department, Clark had a wide variety of responsibilities, including working as a Field Training Officer, Rape Aggression Defense (R.A.D.) and radKIDS instructor, as well as a member of the department's mountain bike unit and Honor Guard. He also served as a CPR, first responder and automated external defibrillator (AED) instructor.

Chief Clark has additional experience as a patrol supervisor, R.A.D. coordinator, field training supervisor and honor guard supervisor. As a lieutenant, he worked as the Night Patrol Division commander, Field Training Program manager, New Hire coordinator and Honor Guard commander.

"I have dedicated my entire law enforcement career to serving Reading, the community where I grew up and live today, and am immensely proud and thankful to have the opportunity to lead the department going forward," Clark said in a statement. "I am looking forward to continuing to serve the Town of Reading alongside the men and women of the Reading Police Department."

Following his graduation for Reading High School in 1989, Clark enlisted in the U.S. Army and served as a Military Police Officer. During his enlistment, he was stationed at Fort McClellan in Alabama and later Fort Carson in Colorado. He was also deployed abroad, completing tours of duty in Panama, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Cuba. In 2001, Clark was appointed to represent the Reading Police Department in the recovery efforts at Ground Zero following 9/11.

As a member of the Reading Police Department, Clark was twice presented with the Reading/North Reading Chamber of Commerce's Officer of the Year award, in 2008 and 2010. He was also honored as a Pillar of Character Recipient by the J.W. Killiam School in 2001 and earned citations from both the Massachusetts State Senate and House of Representatives in 2011.

The Reading Police Department had been without a chief of police for more than a year.