Lt. Michael Gossom is Gloucester's new acting police chief

Lt. Michael Gossom became Gloucester's acting interim police chief on Tuesday, the mayor's office announced. He will serve until further notice.

The statement did not say what happens to Michael Williams, who had led the department as acting chief since March, or why the change was made.

The Cape Ann Current will update this story as the city releases more details.

How we got here

Chief Ed Conley retired early this year after seven years as Gloucester's chief and more than 30 years in law enforcement. On March 2, Mayor Paul Lundberg named Williams, then assistant chief, acting chief while the city searched for a permanent one.

Williams joined the Gloucester department in 1996 and served as acting deputy chief from July 2025 to February 2026, according to a department announcement reported by The Local News.

City ordinance requires a screening committee to review candidates for chief, according to the mayor's March 2 announcement. The mayor hired MGT Impact Solutions, a firm that runs public safety executive searches, to help that committee, and said the process would include a public meeting on the candidates. The city has not announced a permanent chief.

To see recent Gloucester police calls, go to the Cape Ann Current Police Log.