Peabody Police Chief Thomas Griffin Reaches Contract Deal

PEABODY, MA — Peabody Police Chief Thomas Griffin and the city have reached an agreement on a new, three-year contract extension amid the construction of a new $70 million public safety building next to Higgins Middle School.

Peabody Mayor Ted Bettencourt announced the extension on Tuesday morning.

Griffin began his tenure as Chief in 2014, following a 26-year career with the Salem Police Department.

"Chief Griffin has been instrumental in the design and oversight of our new public safety building, which will be more open and accessible to Peabody taxpayers," Mayor Ted Bettencourt said. "The new facility will ensure that our police officers continue to be well-trained and well-equipped and that our city remains safe."

He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and holds a master's degree in criminal justice from Boston University.

"I am grateful to Mayor Bettencourt for his continued confidence in me," Griffin said. "Peabody is such a great place to live and work, and I look forward to seeing the new public safety building project to a successful conclusion."

Bettencourt said Chief Griffin has worked closely with his office to maintain department staffing levels following the COVID-19 pandemic, which shuttered the state's police training academies and significantly slowed officer recruitment.

Griffin is also credited with helping to envision a new public safety building.

"This facility will be an outstanding asset for the city of Peabody for generations to come," Griffin said at the June 2024 groundbreaking.

An active member of the Peabody Rotary Club and Peabody Clergy & Ministerial Association, Chief Griffin has immersed himself in community service, strengthening bonds and collaborating with community leaders, Bettencourt said.

"His dedication to these organizations highlights his hands-on approach to community engagement," said the mayor's office.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)