City Manager Bernie Lynch made history Thursday morning, naming Lowell Police Deputy Superintendent Deborah Friedl as Interim Superintendent upon the March 29 retirement of LPD Superintendent Kenneth Lavallee. She is the first female police chief in the city’s history.
Friedl joined the LPD in 1985. She previously worked in the Vice, Narcotics and Criminal Bureaus and is currently responsible for the day to day administrative functions of the department.
She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Administration, Criminal Justice and Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Lowell; a Master of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Anna Maria College. She is a Graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police and a Graduate of the Massachusetts Police Leadership Institute. She is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Association of Women Police and a member of the Massachusetts Association of Women in Law Enforcement.
Lynch said Friedl is not interested in the permanent position. He expects to name a permanent replacement for Lavallee in approximately 4 to 6 months.
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