Police Captain Marc Gatcomb appointed Police Chief

Mayor Gary Christenson and Police Commissioner Barbara Murphy were pleased to announce Captain Marc Gatcomb as the new Chief of the Malden Police Department.

“I am pleased to welcome Chief Gatcomb to his new role and am confident he will lead with integrity, strengthen community partnerships, and support the men and women of our department,” said Mayor Christenson. “I have no doubt that he will build on our strong tradition of public service and build on the department’s commitment to excellence.”

Chief Gatcomb has been with the Malden Police Department for nearly 40 years, dedicating his career to serving the community. Since 2016 he has been the Commander of Criminal Investigations Division, overseeing complex investigations, and has worked closely with multi-agency initiatives, including an FBI task force focused on human tracking. Beginning as a cadet in 1987, Marc steadily rose up the ranks, becoming a Patrol Officer in 1994, Patrol Sergeant in 2006, Detective Lieutenant in 2009, Captain/Commander of the Criminal Investigation Division in 2016 and Chief of Police in 2026.

During his early years on the force, he attended Western New England University and earned a B.A. in Criminal Justice in 1996. In addition to operational leadership, Marc has managed local, state and federal grant funding and has overseen compliance initiatives and developed and implemented accreditation policies within the Criminal Investigation Division.

City Clerk Carol Ann Desiderio issued the oath of office to Chief Gatcomb on July 1 with his family in attendance. A larger ceremony is planned in the coming weeks that will include promotions of four officers. Chief Gatcomb has replaced Chief Glenn Cronin, who retired on June 30.

“I thank and commend Chief Cronin for serving our community for 32 years with professionalism, integrity, compassion and an unwavering commitment to public safety,” said Mayor Christenson.

“I am committed to building upon the foundation established under Chief Cronin’s leadership,” said Chief Gatcomb. “I will strengthen organizational accountability, support personnel development, and ensure the Malden Police Department continues to adapt to the evolving needs of the community.”