Vernon Coakley was sworn in as the new Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety chief during a ceremony inside Mt. Zion Baptist Church on Thursday.
Coakley replaces former chief Karianne Thomas, who stepped down on Sept. 30 after 27 years at the department.
"Chief Thomas leaves behind huge shoes to fill and I am truly thankful for the opportunity to learn from her, build upon our department's many successes and help take the country's largest combined public safety organization to the next level," Coakley said in a recent press release.