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Mayor Levar Stoney announced Thursday that William C. Smith will serve as interim chief of the Richmond Police Department following the retirement of Chief Alfred Durham this coming Monday.

Smith has been acting chief since Dec. 21, Durham’s last official day in office. Durham has been on leave since then, and will remain so until the end of the year.

Stoney’s appointment essentially rubber stamps Durham’s decision to name Smith as acting chief, and will remain in effect until a permanent replacement is selected.

Smith, 50, began his law enforcement career with RPD in 1995 and has risen through the ranks of the department. He was promoted to sergeant in 1998, lieutenant in 2003, captain in 2007 and major in 2016. He was promoted to deputy chief the day before Durham designated him the acting chief.

“Chief Smith is an experienced law enforcement professional who brings a sense of duty and an analytical approach to his work,” Stoney said in a statement. “He understands the unique demands and responsibilities of this important job, and I have confidence in his ability to manage the Richmond Police Department during this transition period.”

Smith holds a bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. He is also a graduate of the Police Executive Leadership School at the University of Richmond, as well as the Senior Management Institute for Police in Boston.

— Ali Rockett