Stacey Graves Named Kansas City Missouri’s New Police Chief

Concluding a nationwide search that encompassed the majority of 2022, the Board of Police Commissioners, on Dec. 15, appointed KCPD Acting Deputy Chief Stacey Graves as the new Chief of Police.

Graves will be sworn in today, Dec. 15.

Graves is a 25-year veteran of the department, who began her career as a civilian records clerk in 1997. 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. Graves’ other assignments include the Drug Enforcement Unit, The Media Unit, and Internal Affairs.

She becomes the first woman in KCPD’s 148-year history to be named as permanent police chief.

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.