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By TYLER RALEY | Staff Writer

HELENA – The city of Helena named its newest police chief of the Helena Police Department as long-time member of law enforcement, Mike Wood, during a regularly scheduled Helena City Council meeting on Monday, March 24.

Wood enters the HPD after former chief Brad Flynn announced his resignation in an official Facebook post Jan. 24. 

Flynn cited family and health concerns as part of the reasoning behind his decision. He had been with the Helena Police Department since 1995 and had served as the chief since 2020.

Helena Mayor Brian Puckett made the announcement during his municipal operations report, stating his excitement for what Wood will bring to the position once he begins.

“We are excited to bring in someone with experience, with a very strong reputation throughout the local law enforcement community in the area and someone who will be able to lead our city forward and the department forward for years to come,” Puckett said. 

Wood formerly served as the police chief of the Bessemer Police Department. He was appointed to the position in April 2023 by Bessemer Mayor Kenneth Gulley after serving as the interim in the position.

A resident of Helena, Wood has spent his entire 30-year career with the Bessemer Police Department. He began his time in law enforcement as a patrol officer in January 1995. He served in the role for three years until January 1998, when he joined the department’s Special Operation Unit. 

In January 1999, he entered the role of being a detective. He stayed in that position until 2004, when he was promoted to be sergeant of Criminal Investigations. In August 2008, he moved to become lieutenant of the Patrol Division before transferring to the same position of the Special Operations Unit in February 2009 and the Criminal Investigation Division in April 2010. In September 2013, Wood was then promoted to be captain of the Patrol Division and Special Operations Unit, where he stayed until he was named as the chief.

Wood graduated with his bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1992 and studied at Auburn University while he obtained his higher education.

The decision was made to extend the offer to Wood after multiple rounds of interviews, the final round of which was held on Wednesday, March 19. The council unanimously voted to extend the offer to him during a special called work session at 7 p.m. that night. After extending the offer, Wood officially accepted to take the position.

Wood will be sworn in as the new police chief of the Helena Police Department at the next regularly scheduled council meeting on Monday, April 14 at 6 p.m. at Helena City Hall.