April 6, 2020
Mayor Dave Snow announced on Monday his choice to replace retiring police chief Jim Branum.
Major Michael Britt will take the helm of RPD starting on April 24, 2020.
Britt's first experience with Richmond Police Department started in 1982 when he joined the Reserve Unit. He served there for five years before the program was disbanded. He officially joined the department as a patrolman in 1996 and has been there ever since. In the following years, he has served as an investigator, sergeant, lieutenant and, most recently, as a major/deputy chief of administration under Chief Branum.
Britt also underwent extensive training to become the first certified crime scene investigator for the department.
“I am absolutely honored to be selected. It will allow me to see through numerous projects that are at various stages of development,” Britt said in response to the announcement. “Chief Branum did an outstanding job of ushering our department out of a very low place and I'm looking to expand upon that.”
In the past four years, the department has grown substantially with an additional ten sworn officers. Between added positions and new hiring due to retirements, the department has brought on approximately 35 new officers with under ten years of experience. Britt says that's a challenge but, with the right guidance, will be an asset for the department.
“The department has turned very young. But I'm hoping to key in on these newer officers' thoughts, ideas, and aspirations for how they want to see our department best serve the public. They have some really powerful ideas to make us more modern and community-oriented.”
Britt feels the weight of this new position and the department's effect on the community. “With the full knowledge that illegal drugs are the biggest problems facing our city, I feel it's necessary to devote more police department resources to affect real change in that arena."
The announcement comes at the end of a long selection process headed by the mayor. "Major Britt rose to the top of an extensive selection process. He displays tremendous leadership skills, and carries a deep dedication to the women and men of our Police Department, and to the people of our amazing city. I'm thrilled to appoint him to the position of Chief of Police. I have no doubt he will keep us moving forward."
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For Additional Information:
Suzanne Bias, Executive Assistant to the Mayor
City of Richmond, Indiana
(765)983-7580 sbias@richmondindiana.gov
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