Albany Police Chief Michael Persley to retire in February after 33-year career

ALBANY – After 33 years as a law enforcement officer, Albany Police Chief Michael Persley will be handing in his badge in early 2027.

The veteran lawman’s decision was announced during a Tuesday Albany City Commission work session. City Manager Terrell Jacobs said that Persley had informed him of his decision this week.

“It’s time,” Persley, who has been chief for 11 1/2 years, told an Albany Herald reporter at the conclusion of the meeting. “It’s time to go. You want to do some other things, explore some other opportunities.

“Chiefs, leaders … I would say for police chiefs, you’ve got a season. However long the season is, you’ve got to continue to improve and develop the officers. That’s been my commitment from Day 1.”

During his tenure, Persley has introduced several initiatives to the city’s public safety community. In recent years, that has been a conflict resolution center and the pairing of a mental health counselor with an officer to assist individuals who may be having a mental health crisis.

The chief has also exhibited compassion for individuals who may run afoul of the law, particularly those battling substance addiction. During a September 2025 drug-awareness event at the Change Center in Albany, Persley shared a personal story of a step-brother whose early death was likely related to drug use.

That step-brother’s funeral was held the same week he graduated from the police academy. That experience and his work as a narcotics agent earlier in his career granted Persley a sense of empathy for drug users, who, he said, are victims.

“After being a narcotics agent for about a year, you find out they’re the most vulnerable people in the world,” he said during that event. “My perception of people who use drugs, it was changing. As my perception changed, it didn’t matter your socio-economic status. It didn’t matter anything, because anybody can become vulnerable to this. My thinking changed to how we can change things.”

That empathy led to the chief encouraging individuals to take advantage of the state’s “Good Samaritan” law that allows someone who reports a drug overdose to avoid prosecution in most instances.

Persley also has sought to understand the reasoning behind the increase in young people turning to gun violence.

With the proliferation of gangs, the department has made use of statistics and crime reports to try and determine what areas are most susceptible to crime. Officers seek out patterns that allow them to utilize available resources in high-crime areas.

The department also focuses on retaliation. 

“If there is any kind of gang violence, it’s very likely that there will be some form of retaliation,” he said during a 2025 Albany Herald interview. “So we increase patrols in areas where gangs are known to hang out.”

When he retires on Feb. 26, 2027, Persley, 55, said on Tuesday, he will remain active and looking for ways to improve public safety in the community in some capacity.

“That doesn’t mean I’m going to disappear from Albany, Georgia,” he said. “There are other things I will be involved in. This is not retire and go just sit in the rocking chair.

“When I turned 50, my prayer was for me to be able to continue serving the community as long as possible.”