Brian Carroll has assumed command of the Arnold Police Department.
The 21-year law enforcement veteran was named chief of the department, replacing Bob Shockey, who has retired.
City Council members voted unanimously April 21 to promote Carroll from major to chief. He had been the department’s acting chief since March 17 when Shockey was placed on paid administrative leave after he was directed on Feb. 17 to cease outside employment.
Neither city officials nor Shockey, 60, of Affton would say what his outside employment was, but Shockey is listed as the executive director of the Missouri Police Chiefs Association on the organization’s website, mopca.com.
Carroll will be paid a $125,000 annual salary as chief. He was making $105,000 a year as a major, and his salary was increased to $115,000 when he was named acting chief, according to city documents.
Shockey was being paid $119,205 a year when he retired April 18.
“Brian has served as acting police chief for several years when the chief wasn’t here,” Mayor Ron Counts said. “He has been in that learning mode the last two years. He is ready to go, and we are looking forward to him in this role.”
Carroll, 49, of Imperial has been with the Arnold Police Department since February 2000. He was promoted to corporal in December 2006, sergeant in November 2011 and lieutenant in June 2016 before rising to the rank of major, the city said.
Carroll said he has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Radford University in Virginia, and he received a master’s degree in criminal justice from Michigan State University in East Lansing.
“There have been a couple minor challenges since my role changed to acting chief last month, but for the most part this has been a smooth transition,” Carroll said. “The support I have received from the mayor, City Council, city staff and members of the Police Department has been overwhelming. We are very fortunate to have the staff that we do, not only here at the Police Department but also throughout the city.”
Carroll said he has overseen every aspect of the Police Department at one time or another since being promoted to major, and he benefited from his training under Shockey, who had worked for the department since 1988 and had been chief since September 2001.
“I was fortunate to have a good working relationship with Chief Shockey over the last 20 plus years,” he said. “I am thankful that he provided me with various opportunities throughout my career. I appreciate his service to our community and I wish him the best in the future.”
About 20 Arnold Police officers, along with Carroll’s wife, Shannon, and the couple’s 8-year-old son attended the City Council meeting when Carroll was named chief. He received a standing ovation after the vote naming him chief.
Counts said Carroll was the only person considered to take over as chief.
“He has such a good rapport with the rest of the officers he works with, and I think he would be head and shoulders above anyone else we could have brought in. He knows how the operation works,” Counts said. “He has worked for the city for over 22 years. He came up from the ground floor, and I think he will be a wonderful police chief. He has a lot of great ideas he can share.”
Carroll said the department has 55 officers, and he plans to promote some of them soon.
“One of the first promotions I plan on making is for the rank of major,” Carroll said. “I’m fortunate to have a command staff with so much experience. All of our lieutenants have at least 20 years of police experience with our agency. There will also be promotions for the rank of sergeant and corporal. I currently have 23 officers who have expressed an interest in the promotional process for corporal and another five corporals that would like to test for sergeant. I believe this process will take several weeks to complete.”