Mercy Alumnus Kobie Powell ’04 is Town of Greenburgh's History-Making Chief of Police

Mercy College congratulates alumnus Kobie Powell ’04 for his appointment to the position of chief of police of the Greenburgh Police Department for the Town of Greenburgh, where Mercy’s Dobbs Ferry Campus resides. The Greenburgh Town Board unanimously voted to appoint Powell to the position in August 2022. 

Powell is the first African American chief of police in town history and was the first African American to serve as captain within the Greenburgh Police Department’s ranks. He can be classified as a Greenburgh native through and through. He was raised in Greenburgh, resides in Greenburgh and cites his first job – which he held in his late teens and early 20s – as working for the Greenburgh Public Library. As evidenced by his nearly 25-year tenure with the police department, he possesses a deep commitment to serving and safeguarding his community.

His journey to becoming a police officer began while enrolled in community college as a criminal justice major. Accounts from the frontline told by his professors – former police officers and martial artists – inspired his career path.

Powell joined the police force before completing a bachelor’s degree at Mercy but stayed motivated to complete his college education. “I owed it to myself to get my four-year degree,” Powell said.

Being a young working adult, Powell describes his college experience as unique. “It wasn’t the same type of college life that some undergrads have…for me, I concentrated most on the goal of college completion,” said Powell.

Going to Mercy felt natural for Powell. “Living in Greenburgh all my life, there was always a Mercy Campus that wasn’t too far away.”

Also appealing to Powell, Mercy provided an environment for nontraditional students that helped him reach his educational goal and opened his eyes to new topics and subject areas. He remembers fondly not only professors that taught criminal justice-focused courses, but his history and music theory professors.

His well-roundedness and staunch dedication to community are foundational tenets of his new position of critical importance. In keeping police department programs going – like a police youth program/summer camp for kids in the Greenburgh area – and remaining service oriented, Powell hopes to create more opportunities for continued positive community-department interaction.

Powell succeeds former Greenburgh Chief of Police George Longworth ’93, a fellow Mercy College alumnus, as well as Mercy alumnus Christopher McNerney ’98.