MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed today appointed James (Jim) Graboys as interim Chief of Police at the Montgomery Police Department and named Lawrence L. Battiste, IV as a special advisor to the mayor for public safety.
“As we welcome new leadership, I want to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of all of our public safety officers who proudly serve Montgomery every day,” said Montgomery Mayor Steven L. Reed. “Their commitment to our community is the foundation of our public safety strategy."
Chief Graboys, currently a Senior Compliance Specialist with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, served as Chief of Police at Alabama State University from 2012 to 2019. Before his tenure at ASU, he was a 20-year veteran of the Montgomery Police Department, where he held several leadership positions within MPD's Patrol, Juvenile, and Community Oriented Policing divisions and received both the Medal of Valor and the Medal of Merit. He left MPD as a major in 2011 to establish ASU’s Violence Against Women Program.
"Chief Graboys is a well-known and highly respected officer within the department and throughout the community,” said Mayor Reed. “We are immensely fortunate to have someone of his caliber and experience agree to step into the role of interim Chief of Police. His track record of leadership and community engagement is exactly what Montgomery needs at this juncture.”
Chief Graboys will officially begin his role on July 15. Acting Police Chief John Hall will continue to serve as Chief of Investigations. Mayor Reed added, “I want to express my gratitude to Chief Hall for his steadfast leadership over the last two months. His ability to maintain high standards of service during this transition has been crucial for our department.”
As a special advisor to the mayor, Chief Battiste will work directly with Mayor Reed to develop new strategies and tactics to decrease gun violence and other crimes, as well as make recommendations on how MPD can better engage with the community and implement preemptive measures to prevent violent behavior.
Chief Battiste served as the City of Mobile’s Public Safety Director from 2021 to 2023, where he oversaw the Police, Fire, and Public Safety Communications departments. Before that, he was Mobile's Chief of Police from 2017-2021. Chief Battiste's distinguished public safety career spans several decades, including roles as Chief of Police for the City of Prichard and positions within the Mobile County Sheriff's Office. As a sheriff’s deputy, he notably worked as a narcotics investigator with the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force, led the Major Crimes Unit, and commanded the Sheriff's Office’s SWAT team.
“Chief Battiste brings a wealth of experience that will be invaluable in our ongoing efforts to reduce crime,” said Mayor Reed. “His strategic insight will be critical as we continue to explore new ways to curb violence and ensure every person in Montgomery feels safe."
View video from today’s announcement here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK0KMqo7ZSI. Photos are available upon request.
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Contact:
Miguel Diaz-Lucier, City of Montgomery, Communications Director, (334)-322-8431 (m), mdiaz@montgomeryal.gov
Adam Muhlendorf, Longleaf Strategies, (334) 625-0175 (o); (202) 641-6216 (m), adam@longleafstrategies.com
