BOYNTON BEACH HIRES NEW POLICE CHIEF
Boynton Beach’s next police chief hails from Fort Lauderdale.
BOYNTON BEACH — Michael Gregory knows all about population and development booms in South Florida.
Born and raised in Fort Lauderdale, he’s been part of that city’s police department since 1987 and sees similarities in the recent ambitious but challenging growth plans for Boynton Beach.
He’ll be relying on that experience as Boynton’s next police chief.
“I’ve been looking for the right opportunity and I saw a lot of things going on in Boynton that I thought were very exciting and I wanted to be a part of it,” Gregory told The Post on Friday after the announcement was made.
“I’ve been a part of that evolution and growth in Fort Lauderdale,” said Gregory, who was an assistant chief in the Fort Lauderdale department. “To see that happening in Boynton Beach, and the important role the police department will be playing in ushering in a safe environment for all these new projects to come online, I found that very exciting.”
Gregory, 51, was one of three finalists, chosen from 83 applicants. He was selected over Joe DeGiulio, an assistant chief with Boynton; and Kenneth Ferguson, who retired this year as chief of the Framingham, Mass., Police Department. All three had at least 20 years of law enforcement experience.
“I feel very humbled to be selected,” Gregory said. “I’m excited to start and join the team there.”
Gregory accepted the job Friday as a conditional offer while he and City Manager Lori LaVerriere discuss salary and benefits. The salary range is from $99,662 to $149,494, according to the job listing. He is expected to begin July 9.
The three finalists went through a rigorous interview process this week that started Monday with questions from community, law enforcement and leadership panels. They also spoke with each commissioner, city staff, toured the city and spoke with members of the community at a meet-and-greet.
“His performance through the entire process definitely elevated him. He came out on top,” LaVerriere said.
She said the feedback she received praised Gregory’s communication skills, experience, versatility and demeanor.
“He was in control and mature and that stood out,” LaVerriere said.
Gregory will lead about 155 officers, 53 non-sworn employees, operate a $30.4 million budget and help protect about 73,000 residents — about 5,000 more residents since 2010.
He replaces Jeffrey Katz, who retired from the department in December and is now the chief at Chesterfield County Police Department in Virginia. Gregory had entered the city’s Deferred Retirement Option Plan (DROP) and his time was up in 2019, forcing him to retire from Fort Lauderdale.
The new chief starts during a time of immense change for the city.
Boynton Beach has plans to finally create a downtown along with the ambitious Town Square area. About $500 million worth of development has been approved, potentially bringing in thousands of residents. And the police department will soon move to a temporary location at 2045 High Ridge Road while the city builds a new station at High Ridge Road and Gateway Boulevard near Fire Station 5.
He also is coming in at a time of challenge.
While the city in 2017 had the biggest decrease in crime since about 2010 — 11 percent — Boynton had 11 murders that year, the most since at least 2009, a Palm Beach Post analysis shows.
And, it’s budget time. While the task is challenging, Gregory does not face the uphill climb that Katz faced when he was hired as chief in July 2013.
The department had just been labeled by an outside review a “troubled organization” and “beset with strife.” The union fought publicly with the city over pay for the officers and there were pushes for the Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office to take over. Also, in a three-year span from 2011 to late 2014, six officers were arrested.
The department isn’t perfect, and four officers were arrested this past year, but LaVerriere said it has changed for the better.
“They have come a long way and I think we have great areas to achieve even more in,” she said. “I think Mr. Gregory’s leadership skills will be able to help the department grow and continue the strong path it’s on to really be one of the premier agencies in Florida, if not the nation, and I think this leader can take us there.”
LaVerriere said DeGiulio came in second out of the three. She said after he adds a little more experience to his resume, he’ll be ready for a top job. She’s already asked Gregory to mentor DeGiulio and groom him.
Said DeGiulio: “I look forward to working with Chief Gregory and being a part of his command staff.”
Ferguson said despite his disappointment, he appreciated the comprehensive process.
“A first impression is a lasting impression and my impression was they have a great police department,” he said. “I think Mike will do an excellent job. I was glad to have met him. He’s a true professional.”
John Kazanjian, president of the Palm Beach County police union, has been critical of the city leadership, but said he liked the hire.
“I think it’s good,” he said. “We’re going to get some new blood in there. I think he could bring a new perspective into the agency.”
The search for the chief began in December when Boynton paid $25,000 to Strategic Government Resources to conduct a national search that resulted in 83 applicants. While most applicants came from Florida, the position drew interest from residents of New York, Georgia, Arizona, Michigan, Kentucky, Missouri, Texas and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Coalition of Clergy, a group of clergy men and women based in the Heart of Boynton, said Gregory is a “change agent,” according to spokesman Rae Whitely.
Whitely said Gregory has demonstrated an ability to build community-police trust and has a track record of reducing crime without violating civil rights, among other things.
Resident Kevin Homer, who sat on the community panel, called the appointment “a major game changer for Boynton.”
“Lori had the courage to listen to the community and factor that feedback into her final decision. It truly says a lot about her,” Homer said. “She put politics, unions and race to the side. Boynton is truly heading in the right direction.”