Troy Doyle, formerly of the St. Louis County Police, was announced as the new Chief of Police for Ferguson at tonight’s City Council meeting. The unexpected announcement was the apparent result of recent closed Council meetings and the hiring process did not receive public input for possible candidates. Despite the troubling lack of a public process for hiring such a vital position, the choice may hold promise for addressing the rise in violent crime, lack of enforcement, and slow response many residents have complained about.
In his introductory remarks to the Council after the unanimous passing of the Resolution making him the Chief of Police, Doyle thanked the Council and Interim City Manager for placing their trust in him. He expressed his gratitude for the work of the recently retired Chief Frank McCall, and thanked his own family, his wife children, and parents, for their support for his career. He acknowledged, “The pressing matter at hand, which is the Consent Decree. I understand that’s the elephant in the room. So my tenure has not officially begun. I have carefully studied both the Department of Justice investigation and the consent Decree. Ensuring for compliance with the consent decree is not only a legal requirement, but it also presents an opportunity for us to develop an efficient and transparent Police Department.”
Doyle addressed the need to tackle crime in Ferguson and stated he will focus on prevention, intervention, and enforcement. He recognizes that speeding vehicles has been a significant concern. “We will take proactive measures to resolve to make our streets safer for all residents,” Doyle asserted.
Doyle recently announced his retirement from the County Police Department, where he will have his last day as Lt. Colonel on March 24th. According to his biography, he started as a probationary officer on April 27, 1992, when he was assigned to the South County precinct. During his career he has served in North County precinct as he rose through the ranks, including serving as Commander of the City of Jennings detail and as Commander of North County Precinct. He also has had experience as a Detective working with the Bureau of Drug Enforcement, FBI Gang Task Force, Intelligence Unit and FBI Public Corruption Task Force. Doyle as been a Lt. Colonel since September 2014, when he became Commanding Officer of the Division of Patrol. He has been Commanding Officer of the Division of Operational Support since 2020, where he oversees Communications, Central Police Records, Computer Services, County Municipal Police Academy, Emergency Communications Network, and Personnel Services.
Doyle’s LinkedIn profile states that his notable accomplishments include taking effective outreach initiatives to reduce crime every year; building long-term relations with communities to regain trust by establishing a series of community town hall meetings, command forums, neighborhood walk-and-talks, and community sponsored events; and administering budgetary operations that decreased overall crime by 32% from the previous year.
Doyle currently serves as President of the St. Louis Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. He also founded the St. Louis County Police Department Police Athletic League (PAL). He has a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Lindenwood University and is a graduate of the 245th session of the FBI National Academy.
Doyle also came to public notice after filing a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging that County Executive Sam Page ordered the St. Louis County Police Board not pick him as Chief because Page was concerned that campaign donors did not want a black police chief. Page disputes the allegations, and the lawsuit is scheduled to be heard in 2024.