County Executive Appoints Kevin Davis Anne Arundel’s Chief Of Police

Kevin Davis has never guzzled more Red Bull before in his life. Appointed by the county executive as Anne Arundel’s new chief of police following former Chief Larry Tolliver’s late-May resignation, Davis, an 18-year resident of Crofton, has met the fast-paced challenges of his office head-on in the few weeks he has held the position.

A fourth-generation public safety officer, Davis was born with a badge in hand and police work in his blood. His great-grandfather and grandfather retired high-ranking Washington, D.C., firefighters, and Davis’ father is a retired Prince George’s County police officer. “I grew up around a police family and saw how close-knit it was. What attracted me the most was the teamwork … that you see among cops – it resembles the teamwork that’s necessary and prevalent on athletic teams,” Davis illustrated, adding he played sports throughout his youth and college years.

After graduating from Towson University with a bachelor’s degree in English – a rarity among cops, he laughed – Davis joined the Prince George’s Police Department (PGPD) as a patrol officer at age 22. He quickly scaled the department’s ranks, progressing to SWAT team member, patrol sergeant, leader of the street narcotic team, lieutenant, patrol shift commander, captain, assistant district commander, executive officer, major, district commander and deputy chief.

Davis spent the last three years of his 21-year tenure on the suburban D.C. force, the 28th-largest department in the nation, as its sole assistant chief of police. Under his leadership, the PGPD recorded its lowest homicide rate since 1986 in 2012.

“Chief Davis is a proven leader and shares my vision for the future of our police department,” County Executive Laura Neuman said following Davis’ July 12 appointment. “I am confident that under his leadership, morale and professionalism will be restored and the Anne Arundel County Police Department will become a model in the state.”

To that end, Chief Davis has already targeted several facets of the county police department for improvement. A proponent of both external and internal transparency, the husband and father of four launched a Twitter account to communicate with the community on his first day in office, and has promised openness and personal relationships built on a foundation of trust to each of the department’s over 650 officers.

“I ultimately want to mirror the philosophy the county executive has regarding government – you hear her use the words ‘transparency’ and ‘change’ a lot, and I subscribe to those philosophies,” Davis explained. “I’m also committed to making a real difference in the diversity of this agency. Anne Arundel County is a diverse jurisdiction, it’s getting more and more diverse every day, and the police department needs to reflect the community.”

Amid mapping out those and other goals, Davis’ first few days on the job proved to be busier than expected: He was involved in a minor traffic accident, participated in a car chase and found himself on the scene of a plane crash. “You’re a cop for a long time and you think you’ve seen it all; I’ve never been on the scene of a plane crash in my career until [my first] week in Anne Arundel County,” Davis highlighted, adding he was encouraged by the three county residents who put their lives in danger to rescue the pilot from the wreckage. He later presented the trio with certificates of appreciation.

Davis, whose long-term aspirations include penning a book and achieving a height of 6 feet 4 inches, spends the glimmers of spare time he catches engrossed in reading biographies and historical works. In May, the FBI National Academy graduate obtained a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, and spent the last seven years coaching youth football for the Crofton Athletic Association.

An active member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Davis touted steak his favorite dish and the Civil War his latest pursuit of study. The avid Washington Redskins fan emphasized his only allegiance to Baltimore sports is to the Orioles, as the Washington Senators left town before he had all of his baby teeth.

More than anything in his new role, the chief stated he looks forward to being part of a positive change movement and leading and gaining the respect of the men and women within his agency. Additionally, he anticipates working with the county executive toward a more service-delivery-oriented government.

“We’re never going to arrive because there’s always going to be a new challenge, but if you see it as part of your responsibility to continue to improve your service-delivery performance then this is one of the most – if not the most – rewarding professions that exists,” he summed with a smile.