Late last month, Supervisor Reilich asked for the resignation of former Chief of Police Drew Forsythe after he was finally made aware of some of the facts surrounding the motor vehicle accident. The criminal investigations that were conducted by the District Attorney have come to a close and the matter is in the hands of the court. Additionally, the town’s internal investigation, being led by outside investigators, are also close to completion.
We are taking the steps to move to the critical work of bringing in a new Chief to lead the Greece Police Department. We have been seeking referrals from the District Attorney’s office as well as from respected members of the law enforcement community in making this important decision.
After appointing two Chiefs from within the department, all parties consulted concluded that we needed to seek someone from outside the department.
While former Chief Forsythe was doing a great job working on officer morale and boosting training programs and initiatives, his actions on the night of the accident were not indicative of the type of individual that would be able to continue in his leadership position at the Greece Police Department. We continue to be proud of the men and women in the Greece Police Department who serve our community. We have not lost site that the actions of a few do NOT represent the actions of the many.
Today, we are pleased to be announcing that the Town Board will be appointing Michael R. Wood to the position of Chief of the Greece Police Department. Mr. Wood is currently the Deputy Commissioner for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS). He has extensive experience, knowledge and a background rich in service to the community. He has a prolific record of collaborative leadership achievement across an array of operational, administrative, and executive positions, 34 years of comprehensive law enforcement experience, including 14 years in executive positions with three large New York State agencies.
Prior to his current position, Mr. Wood served as the Lieutenant and Administrative Aide to Chief of Police for the Rochester Police Department (2000-2003); the Lieutenant, Homicide, and Major Crimes Unit for the Rochester Police Department (2003-2007); the Commander for the Rochester Police Department (2007-2008); the Chief of Court Security for the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (2009-2011); and the Deputy Chief of Operations for the Rochester Police Department (2011-2014).
His recent achievements, just to name a few, include: successfully pitching a police reform agenda leading to the enactment of the Professional Policing Act of 2021, playing a key role in DCJS receiving Top Workplace Honors for 5 years in a row, and overhauling the Basic Course for Police Officers (BCPO) to enable officers to best serve their communities.
“Mike Wood’s experience is unique, his skill set is unmatched and his qualifications are on point with exactly what the Greece Police Department needs to lead us into the future,” said Supervisor Reilich. “I could not be more thrilled to bring a police leader of Mike’s caliber to the Town of Greece.”
Michael Wood will officially join the Town of Greece Police Department on January 10th. His ceremonial swearing- in ceremony will be announced shortly.
Click here to view Michael R. Wood’s complete resume.
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