A retired assistant police chief from Burlington has been tapped to serve as the interim head of Graham’s municipal police force.
Former assistant chief Chris Smith, who retired from Burlington in the spring of 2024, will assume command in the county seat on August 1 as a temporary successor to Graham’s outgoing police chief Mary (AKA Kristy) Baker.
Baker, who has led Graham’s police force since 2020, had originally anticipated a departure date of September 1 when she announced her retirement from the police department in March of this year. Baker’s decision to advance this date by a month has effectively forced the hand of city manager Megan Garner, who had already been under increasing pressure from Graham’s city council to take action on Baker’s replacement.
Garner ultimately announced her choice for Baker’s interim successor in an email she dispatched to the city’s police officers on Friday.
“In light of Chief Baker’s amended retirement date of August 1, the city of Graham is pleased to announce Chris Smith as its interim police chief,” the city manager revealed in this electronic missive. “Chris retired from the city of Burlington’s police department [after] 28 years. . . and brings. . . vast knowledge and experience in various roles with their department [to Graham]. His leadership and professionalism will ensure the continued safety and well-being of our residents.”
Garner went on to add that Baker’s permanent successor will be appointed following a “comprehensive” candidate search – which she informed The Alamance News on Tuesday will “likely” begin when a job ad is posted “in the next day or two.”
The city manager has since posted an ad on the city’s website that offers this post with a tentative salary of $116,812.86 to $175,219.29 a year.
This ad describes the ideal candidate for the police chief’s position as “a visionary leader with a commitment to professional law enforcement, public trust, and strategic planning.” It notes that eligible applicants must have a bachelor’s degree “in criminal justice, public or business administration, or a related field” from “an accredited college or university.” The job also requires at least five years “of progressively responsible supervisory and administrative” experience in law enforcement, which must include either a minimum of three years as an assistant chief or the equivalent or five years as a commander or the equivalent.
According to the ad, the application period for this position runs from July 28 to August 15.
Meanwhile, Baker has issued some parting words of her own to sum up her five-year tenure at the helm of the city’s police force.
In a formal statement on Wednesday, the outgoing police chief stressed that her impending retirement won’t put a period on her 30-year-long career in law enforcement.
“While I’m retiring from the GPD, I’m not leaving the profession,” she acknowledged in a prepared statement on Wednesday.
“On August 30, 2025, I’ll begin a new role with the High Point University Campus Police Department as their accreditation manager and professional standards investigator. High Point University Police Department is seeking its initial accreditation through NCLEA. I’ll also continue serving as an assessor for NCLEA and CALEA to support law enforcement excellence across the region and beyond.”
Baker concluded her statement with a few words of encouragement to her interim successor.
“I know incoming Interim Chief Smith well,” she added. “I have tremendous respect for his leadership and integrity. I’ll continue working closely with him and the city to support a smooth transition.”
