Salem Police Chief, Michael Crawley, announced his retirement from the force this morning, effective June 1,
2024. Crawley has served Salem’s citizens as a treasured member of the Police Department and the community for nearly 25 years. “It has been an absolute honor to work alongside the many men and women who have served in the Salem Police Department,” Crawley said. “While the world has changed drastically in the past few decades the commitment to serve and protect our Salem community has remained strong.”
Crawley, 50, began working with the Salem Police Department in December 1999 as a Patrol Officer and was voted Officer of The Year by his peers just three years into his Salem law enforcement career. After completing field service as a Patrol Officer, he was promoted to the rank of Senior Police Officer and transferred to the Detective Division in 2004 where he was assigned to the Special Investigation Unit.
“I truly need to thank the late Judge George Harris for seeing something in me many years ago and
encouraging me to better myself through law enforcement,” Crawley said. “His encouragement helped me
land my first position in Salem at a time when it was very difficult to get a job with the department.”
“When Mike left his Sergeant’s position in Vinton to take a patrol position in Salem, I thought he was crazy,
but It turns out that he knew what he was doing,” said Kevin Boggess, former Salem City Manager and Vinton
Town Manager. “He moved to a great community where he and his family have thrived, and he worked his
way through the ranks to lead a department that he loves.”
In 2006, Crawley was transferred to General Investigator, and he rose to the rank of Sergeant in that Division.
He also served as the Services Division Sergeant and Patrol Division Sergeant before being appointed to the
rank of Major by Chief Tim Guthrie in 2014. In January of 2016, he became Salem first Black Police Chief
when Boggess named him Guthrie’s successor.
