Mayor Kassandra Gove is pleased to announce that Craig J. Bailey has been appointed Amesbury’s 23rd Chief of the Amesbury Police Department. She said, "I am confident that Chief Bailey will continue to form strong community partnerships in our city and that he will continue to lead our accredited Department to the next level, following the highest program standards, both administratively and operationally."
Bailey has been a member of the Amesbury Police Department since 1997 and has been serving as Acting Chief since March 2021. Throughout his tenure with the Department, he has served as Sergeant, Lieutenant, Executive Officer, and Deputy Chief. He also served as President of the Amesbury Police Officers Association from 2002-2010.
An Amesbury resident, Bailey holds a Bachelor of Science in Law Enforcement and Master of Science in Criminal Justice Administration from Western New England University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. His full-time law enforcement career spans over 30 years, beginning with his enlistment in the United States Coast Guard. Bailey’s responsibilities as Acting Chief prompted him to recently retire from his position as a Lieutenant Commander from the Coast Guard Reserves, so that he could devote more time to the citizens of Amesbury and members of the Amesbury Police Department.
This appointment comes after the recent retirement of former Chief William Scholtz. The hiring process included a comprehensive assessment and interviews coordinated by a contracted outside agency, which was accompanied by community and department surveys. Bailey’s contract as Chief, beginning July 1st is currently being negotiated.
Newly appointed Chief Bailey was born and raised in Amesbury and is now raising his children and stepchildren here. He said, "I am excited, proud and honored to be Amesbury’s 23rd Chief of Police. Without a doubt the police profession has been met with a lot of challenges and has seen considerable change over the past 25 years. Some of these changes have been easy to implement and others more difficult. It is clear policing is not what it used to be, but I am excited for what the future holds. Why? Because regardless of these challenges and changes, I am incredibly confident that your police department is ready to move forward as a community-based organization which will undoubtedly better serve the City of Amesbury."
Mayor Gove said she is looking forward to working with him and his team to meet and exceed expectations of law enforcement today.
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