The city of Salisbury has announced Assistant Police Chief David Meienschein will serve as Acting Police Chief, following the recent retirement of longtime Chief Barbara Duncan.

Meienschein, a longtime department veteran, will remain in the position while the process for hiring a new police chief is conducted, city officials said.

A Salisbury native, Meienschein joined the U.S. Air Force after graduating from Parkside High School in 1982. He served on active duty for four years before joining the Air Force Reserves in 1987.

His career in law enforcement began in 1987 when he became a seasonal police officer in Ocean City, and then a police recruit for the Salisbury Police Department.

His military career officially ended in 2003 when he retired from the Reserves. 

During 35 years of service in the SPD, Meienschein has been assigned as an officer, supervisor, and commander.

These leadership roles were in various departments, including Operations, Special Operations, K-9, Crisis Negotiations Unit and Community Police Programs.

As Assistant Chief he worked with planning and policy, budgeting and as Commander of all three major divisions of the department: Operations, Criminal Investigations and Administration.   

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management and in 2005 graduated from the FBI National Academy Class No. 220.

Meienschein has also earned a multitude of awards and recognition of service from the SPD including the Salisbury Police Department Community Policing Award/Military Service Award, COPP Unit Citation/Exceptional Service Award, Educational Achievement/Marksmanship Award, Canine Service Award, Honorable Service Award/Distinguished Achievement in Public Service, and numerous letters of recognition and appreciation for performance in the field and community policing activities.      

“His experience as Assistant Chief of Police for the last 12 years, his valued leadership in multiple units within the Department and his long list of awards made Meienschein the clear choice to lead our Police Department through this transition period,” said Mayor Jack Heath. “We look forward to his continued outstanding service to the Salisbury community during this period of change and beyond it.”