City picks police chief
James Graves will be Bella Vista’s next police chief.
Named Friday after the city’s nationwide search, he will begin working March 27, holding the title of incoming chief.
Graves hails from the Tucson Police Department, where he serves as commander, an administrative role. Graves has 25 years of law enforcement experience. He’s been in administration since 2001, according to a news release published by the city.
The city got applications from all over the country,
communications manager Cassi Lapp said, and interviewed five people.
Mayor Peter Christie said that, after the interviews, he and the selection committee made a decision.
“We sat down and compared notes and had a look at it and said ‘James is the fellow,’” Christie said. “We had a lot of good candidates, but he had a solid history.”
Moreover, Christie said, his employment history is long but it’s also broad. He’s worked in nearly every department in the Tucson Police Department, Christie said, giving him a wide array of experiences.
Additionally, he said, Graves’ education is strong.
He has a Masters of Administration with an emphasis on leadership from Northern Arizona University, according to the press release, as well as a Bachelor of Science in public management and an Associate of Applied Science in law enforcement. He also teaches criminal justice courses at a community college.
Christie said an offer was made and Graves signed it, but he still needs to pass a few additional tests and be approved by the City Council before he can assume the role of chief.
Provided all of that works out, Graves will join the department under the title of “incoming chief” and will be sworn in and assume the title of chief when the current chief, Ken Farmer, retires the end of May.
Farmer said he has not yet had a chance to properly meet Graves, but he has had a short phone call with him. It was essentially a meet-and-greet, he said, and they discussed a few housekeeping items.
“He seems to be a nice guy, knowledgeable,” Farmer said.