Kevin Murphy Named Montgomery Co. Chief Deputy
Former Montgomery Police Chief Kevin Murphy will soon be back in uniform. Sheriff-Elect Derrick Cunningham confirms that Murphy has been hired to be the new Chief Deputy of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office. But Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange says his hiring may be problematic.
Kevin Murphy calls the chief deputy position a dream job. He told us retirement is just not for him and that he’s eager to get back to serving the community.
Former Montgomery Police Chief Kevin Murphy will soon be Montgomery County’s new Chief Deputy, a position he says he’s not taking for granted.
“I had a tough year this past year but I’m not focused on that,” he says. “I can’t change what’s happened, can’t change the past. I can’t bring my brother back but what I can do is embrace my family, my friends, stay positive, look toward the future. I’m very excited about serving the citizens again.”
Murphy was forced to retire from the Montgomery Police Department in October after Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange said that his management style was too aggressive. Strange said when he heard rumors that Murphy was interested in the Chief Deputy position, he reached out to Cunningham.
“I said at that time, that it would be problematic,” Strange says. “We’ll have to feel our way through that. I said it would change certainly with Derrick at the helm, it will in fact change. It depends on how Derrick Cunningham, the new sheriff, chooses to organize and implement certain things.”
Although Mayor Strange says the hiring could be problematic, Murphy says he doesn’t feel that way, telling us he is ready to move forward.
“Personalities aside. We all have a job to do. I’m going to do it professionally and serve Sheriff Cunningham and serve the citizens of Montgomery County.”
We spoke with Cunningham by phone who tells us he hired Murphy because of his experience, knowledge, quality and loyalty. The two have known each other since they worked together as detectives for the Montgomery Police Department.
“I’m just proud,” he says. “My family is proud. My wife is proud. I am very proud and so thankful to the sheriff, Sheriff Cunningham, to be able to continue to serve.”
