Buckley served as Chief for 8 years and has been with the MPD since 1998

Governor Healy signed bill removing Chief of Police position from Civil Service allowing the City to broaden its search

Chief of Police position has been posted and the City is gathering resumes

Medford Police Chief Jack D. Buckley will retire on December 19, 2026, following 28 years of dedicated service to the people of Medford, including the past eight years as Chief, Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn announced.

In December 2018, Buckley was appointed as the 14th permanent Police Chief for the City of Medford. First hired as a patrol officer in 1998, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2009 and to the rank of Lieutenant in 2015. Prior to his role as Chief of Police, he served as supervisor to the Detective Bureau directing, coordinating and managing criminal investigations and serving as the department’s liaison to numerous State and Federal agencies. Throughout his career he has maintained a reputation as an ethically sound leader with an uncompromising devotion to community service.

“Since I took office in 2020, Chief Buckley has been more than just the Chief of Police,” Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn said. “He’s been the person I look to for advice, and his insights often provide clarity that help lead to a solution. I will miss his ‘pop ins’ to my office, his wry humor and his friendship. Twenty-eight years is a long time to serve the community and while his presence in the City will be missed, I am glad to have served the people of Medford alongside with him. We are now in the process of securing the next Chief, thanks to the support of our state delegation, and I know they will work hard to continue the legacy of integrity and professionalism that Chief Buckley so thoroughly encompassed.”

To help broaden the search for the next chief and expand the talent pool, the Mayor, with the support of the City Council, worked with State Representative Paul Donato to sponsor a bill that would authorize the City to exempt the positions of police chief and deputy police chief from the civil service law. The bill had the support of Medford’s state delegation, and Governor Healy signed it on August 21 and the position was posted.

“Serving the people of Medford has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Chief Buckley said. “I’m immensely proud of the work we’ve done together, strengthening the department and forging lasting relationships with the community. Effective policing is not easy and comes with its share of challenges, but the officers, public safety dispatchers, and civilian staff have always led with professionalism and compassion and I’m confident that will continue under the next Chief of Police.”

via Medford, MA, USA