Lexington Chief of Police Mike McLean Patriots' Day Speaker at Joint Lexington/Concord Rotary Meet'g
About Chief McLean
Chief McLean began his service to Lexington in September 1995 as a Patrol Officer. In 2001, he was promoted to Sergeant, where he served in roles including Patrol Supervisor, Bike Patrol Supervisor, and Detective Sergeant/Court Prosecutor. In 2010, McLean was promoted to Lieutenant, serving as Lieutenant Detective, as well as Detective Bureau Commander.
In 2015, McLean was appointed as Captain of Operations. As Captain, McLean was tasked with overseeing all patrol officers, dispatchers, crossing guards, and traffic unit staff. Additionally, he reviewed all submitted police reports, citations, arrests, and public records requests. He also served as the Department’s liaison to the Town’s Transportation Safety Group, as well as to the Development Review Team.
In April 2021 McLean was appointed as Interim Chief, leading the Department while the search for a permanent chief was underway. As Interim Chief, he was responsible for planning, directing, coordinating, controlling and staffing all activities of the Department. Under his leadership, the Department began implementation of the Anderson Kreiger Report, which outlines over 30 recommendations for change in Department policies. He also oversaw the promotion of three new sergeants, selected a new Detective Lieutenant and three detectives, as well as a new dispatch supervisor and an additional dispatcher. He has worked with the Town’s Public Information Officer to increase communication to the public through social media, email updates, and having additional information on the Department’s web page. Additionally, he meets weekly with the Town’s Chief Equity Officer; Chief McLean is committed to infusing principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Department’s policies and practices.
Chief McLean holds a bachelor’s degree in history from UMass Boston, and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Anna Maria College. He is a graduate of the 258th Session of the FBI’s National Academy. McLean has also taken part in multiple leadership programs, including at the FBI’s Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (LEEDA), and the Municipal Police Institute (MPI). Other training includes the Massachusetts Police Training Council’s (MPTC) Fair and Impartial Policing for Supervisors, the Crisis Intervention Team Training for Police Chiefs, and Police Officer Standards and Training (POST)