Mayor Steven Reed has announced that he will be removing the word interim from the titles of two high-ranking City of Montgomery employees. The first, Jerime Reid, will become Montgomery’s new permanent chief of staff, while James “Jim” Graboys will be the permanent Chief of Police for MPD.

“I am excited to remove the interim tag as Jerime transitions to our full-time Chief of Staff,” said Mayor Reed. “Jerime’s extensive leadership has already positively impacted our city in his role as COO, and we are thrilled to see the momentum continue with him as Chief of Staff.”

Reid has previously served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the City of Montgomery. During his time in the position, he was responsible for enhancing efficiency and effectiveness across city departments.

Reid was a member of the Air Force. While serving, he utilized data-driven decision-making to improve resident services. Reed holds extensive leadership experience as a senior executive from his service in the military. While in the Air Force, he was the Director of Personnel at Air Mobility Command at Scott Air Force Base and the Director of Operations for the HQ Air Force Reserve Office Training Corps.

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Chief Graboys, who was appointed Interim Police Chief on July 15, 2024, brings over 20 years of experience with MPD, as well as leadership roles at the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) and as Chief of Police at Alabama State University (2012-2019).

“Chief Graboys has shown outstanding leadership during his tenure,” said Reed. “I’m confident he will continue to lead the Montgomery Police Department with integrity, vision, and a steadfast commitment to our community’s safety.”

The search for Montgomery’s permanent police chief was conducted in partnership with Strategic Government Resources (SGR), a Texas-based recruitment firm specializing in local government leadership. 

Austen Shipley is the News Director for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten