Mayor Walsh Appoints Joseph Cecile As Syracuse’s New Chief of Police

Published on April 22, 2022

Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced today that First Deputy Chief Joseph Cecile, a nearly four decade long veteran of the Syracuse Police Department  (SPD), will be Syracuse’s new Chief of Police. 

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Cecile assumes responsibility for the Department effective immediately. He has served as first deputy police chief to two prior chiefs of police covering a period of twelve years. He has been with the department for 37 years. Cecile’s career has taken him through several policing units and divisions until his promotion to Deputy Chief in 2010 and First Deputy Chief in 2015.   

“Joe Cecile is an innovative, collaborative and forward-thinking leader who motivates others to work toward successful solutions. He is respected by both members of the force and the community,” said Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh. “I have had the honor of working closely with Chief Cecile for the past decade and have seen his strength of character,  leadership and commitment to the community up close and personal. It is for these reasons that I believe Joe Cecile will make an excellent Chief of Police for our City and is the right person to continue to lead.”

Cecile has a deep commitment to promoting sustainable, positive change through direct interactions with residents and stakeholders.  Cecile sits on the Board of Directors at Salvation Army and Huntington Family Center, and is a committee member of the New York State Criminal Justice Reform and Reinvention Collaborative and the City of Syracuse Suveillance Technology Work Group. In addition, Cecile is a longtime member of International Association of Chiefs of Police, Police Executive Research Forum, Central New York Association of Chiefs of Police, Onondaga County Chapter of Chiefs of Police and sits on the Procedure Review Oversight Committee (PROC) for both the 911 Center and the County CNYLEADS Committee. He has served as First Deputy Chief since 2015.

“I want to thank the Mayor for his confidence in my ability to take on the role of Chief of Police.  I am both honored and humbled to assume leadership of the Syracuse Police Department, a police department I consider to be one of the best trained, best outfitted, most professional and dedicated police departments in the entire nation,” said Cecile.

Cecile’s follows Chief of Police Kenton Buckner’s announcement that is he resigning to pursue other opportunities. He led the Syracuse Police Department since December 2018 and is credited with introducing major improvements to policing and public safety; including, the update of department policies and procedures based on best-in-class public safety practices; guiding the city through police reform and the pandemic; growing diversity on the force; launching a Police Athletic League; and strengthening police-community relations.

“Chief Buckner has served Syracuse with excellence during the past three years. During his tenure as chief, the Department has made major progress in its policies and procedures, recruiting and diversity on the force, and community engagement,” said Mayor Walsh. “He led our department through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was proud to partner with him in embracing the police reform movement as an opportunity accelerate further improvements in police, public safety and community relations. Chief Buckner’s management style always looked to the future.  Because of that, our department is strong and prepared to keep our community safe and continue the progress he began.””