Liberty announces new police chief

LIBERTY, Mo. (KCTV) - The city of Liberty has chosen its new police chief.

Following a city council meeting Monday night, the city approved James Martin as the city’s next chief of police.

Martin recently served in the Tulsa suburb of Glenpool and before that as a captain in the Lawrence, Kansas police department.

“The City of Liberty is blessed with a Police Department of officers, dispatchers and civilian personnel that are qualified, caring and selfless professionals,” Mayor Lyndell Brenton said. “We were looking for a Police Chief with progressive experience, new perspectives and the confidence to know he/she did not have all the answers. Jim Martin has the resume, demeanor and management style to successfully lead the Liberty Police Department while leveraging the collective wisdom of the dedicated professionals he will be working with and commanding. We owe a debt of gratitude to outgoing Chief Jim Simpson for his many years of outstanding service and eagerly welcome incoming Chief Jim Martin to the City of Liberty!”

Following the retirement of Chief James Simpson in July, Captain Andy Hedrick will serve as acting Chief until Martin is sworn in on July 27.