Mayor Ted Bettencourt announced on Tuesday that Police Chief Thomas Griffin received a three-year contract extension.
Griffin’s contract, which raises his salary to $192,000, will go into effect on July 1 of this year, and will go until June 30, 2028.
After 26 years with the Salem Police Department, he started as chief with Peabody in 2014. Griffin is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from Boston University.
“We started having discussions a couple of months ago with his contract set to expire in June,” Bettencourt said. “It was really an easy decision, one that we quickly agreed on. Our relationship is strong, a lot of trust, and this was an easy negotiation.”
Griffin was integral in maintaining department staffing levels following the COVID pandemic, which shuttered the state’s police training academies and significantly slowed officer recruitment, according to a statement released by Bettencourt.
He is also an active member of the Peabody Rotary Club and Peabody Clergy and Ministerial Association.
“It’s not so much about the money for me. I just enjoy being here. I get to work with a lot of great people,” Griffin said. “Peabody is very welcoming. They’re very positive as it pertains to the police department. The mayor and the city council have been great to us; they hold us accountable, but they’re also very supportive at the same time.”
New developments he’s achieved and hopes to continue instituting include body camera implementation and a stress management program.
In addition, Bettencourt noted how the leadership Griffin has brought as chief will be essential as the construction of the $70 million public safety headquarters project continues.
“We’ve been able to accomplish a lot, obviously. With this new building, that speaks to how much they care about public safety,” Griffin said. “It’s great for the community to have a nice building if they have to come talk to the police department or even talk to the fire department. This new building is going to be amazing, it’s going to benefit the city for decades to come.”
