KANSAS CITY – The KC Board of Police Commissioners has named Stacey Graves as the new police chief of the Kansas City, Mo Police Department. Recently, Graves, a 25-year-veteran of the KCPD, had been serving as acting Deputy Chief. Graves will be the department's first female police chief.
The board had narrowed its search to three finalists, including Graves; Philadelphia police inspector Deshawn Beaufort; and Scott Ebner, who recently retired from the New Jersey state police.
In a Facebook post after Graves was announced as the new chief, KCPD shared some of her background:
"Graves is a 25-year veteran of the department who began her career as a civilian records clerk in 1997. She becomes the first woman in KCPD’s 148-year history to be named the permanent police chief.
Most recently, Graves has been commanding the Patrol Bureau which oversees all six patrol stations, as well as traffic and special operations divisions. The Patrol Bureau has 918 sworn and 109 non-sworn positions."
"As a major, Graves managed the Shoal Creek Patrol Division (109,213 residents and over 74.6 miles, with 78 personnel). She led the Human Resources Division during KCPD's pandemic response. She was the Patrol Bureau's Executive Officer before being named the Acting Deputy Chief. Other assignments include the Drug Enforcement Unit, The Media Unit, and Internal Affairs.
Graves has an Executive Master of Business Administration from Benedictine College and earned a B.A. in Administration of Justice from the University of Missouri-Kansas City."