Michael Daniels appointed Canton Police chief

Within minutes of concluding interviews of the two finalists for the position, the Canton Select Board voted unanimously on December 30 to appoint Michael K. Daniels as the town’s new permanent police chief.

Michael K. Daniels is Canton’s new permanent police chief.

Daniels will succeed Joseph Perkins, who served as chief on an interim basis following the retirement of Helena Rafferty in June.

The lone board member not to vote on Tuesday was Chris Albert, who was absent from the meeting.

The remaining four Select Board members, including Chair JR McCourt, Trish Boyden, Susan Harrington and Mike Loughran, agreed that both finalists, Daniels and Canton Police Lt. Charles Rae, were well deserving of the position.

But the board ultimately went with Daniels, who they felt had the right combination of experience and command presence.

“Chief Daniels’ resume reflected exactly the sort of experience we were looking for,” said McCourt. “This candidate emerged from a field of very competent applicants, but the Select Board was quickly convinced that Chief Daniels was the right choice to be the next leader of the Canton Police Department.”

Daniels comes to Canton from Oxford, where, as that town’s chief, he implemented 21st century policing policies and created an agency built on accountability, transparency, and community trust. In total, he has more than 26 years of policing experience, including leadership of a 40-person agency. During the interviews, he assured the Select Board that he knew how to steady an organization, set high standards, and guide the department through reform.

“I’ve built my reputation on setting expectations, holding people accountable, and mentoring the next generation of leaders,” said Daniels. “Beyond my own departments, I serve on the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission Training Committee, where I help agencies across the state adopt best practices. I’ve also served as a civil rights officer, helping to strengthen communication between departments and the communities they serve. I look forward to serving the residents of Canton as the Police Department’s new chief.”

As leader of the Oxford Police Department, Daniels removed the department from Civil Service; implemented plans to regionalize the local communications center; cut citizen complaints by 70 percent; increased community engagement; and created a Career Growth & Development Plan. He also positioned the department for full accreditation, an important benchmark by which police departments strive …

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jan 8 2026. Filed under News, Police & Fire. Both comments and pings are currently closed.