By Shavonne Potts
spotts@salisburypost.com
LANDIS — Bob Wood has been appointed the town’s new police chief after serving as interim chief for nearly five months.
He accepted the interim position after former chief Brian McCoy resigned in late August.
Wood retired as town public works director in 2004 and had been a reserve officer with the department since that time.
“I’ve had some good response from citizens and officers. It makes me feel good,” Wood said Thursday.
The board made the appointment at its regular meeting. There was no interview process. Town Manager Reed Linn made a recommendation to the board and the board approved it.
“We are very pleased and very proud to have Bob as our chief,” Linn said.
He said Wood came into the department with a solid foundation.
Wood called it a smooth transition.
He said morale is up among the officers and staff.
“All of them know me from before. They know I will stand behind them and if they are wrong, I will tell them,” he said.
Wood has made some changes to the structure of the department, including shift adjustments. Some officers preferred to work the night shift and others the day shift, so the schedules were changed.
The department has nine full-time officers and 13 reserve officers.
Wood has served in a number of capacities in Landis that include law enforcement and government positions.
In 1971, he began as a police officer in Kannapolis and later moved to the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office in 1978.
In 1989, Wood was named public works director and 15 years later retired from the position.
In 1993, Wood took over for the retiring town clerk. In 2000, the town board added the title of deputy town administrator.
Contact reporter Shavonne Potts at 704-797-4253.