PORTSMOUTH — Col. Thomas F. Lee, who’s served as the town’s chief of police for the past six years, will retire July 12, the department announced today.

“Every good leader works on developing and mentoring his subordinates for that time when it’s their turn to run the organization,” Chief Lee said in a prepared statement released Thursday, June 6. “I believe that time has now come. We have many strong young leaders in this agency who can continue driving change in the future and deserve their chance.”

Before being appointed Portsmouth police chief, he had served 34 years with the Boston Police Department, reaching the rank of deputy superintendent and holding numerous high-ranking positions within that department.

Chief Lee said it has been an honor and privilege to serve as chief to an outstanding police department and that it was a pleasure to work with the community. He said he is most proud of accomplishing the following goals during his tenure:

• leading the effort in the new police station construction

• obtaining statewide accreditation from the Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission

• increasing the safety in the community having Portsmouth named the safest community in Rhode Island for the first time, in 2015 (safehome.org)

• diversifying the department by increasing the number of female officers from two to six as well as appointing the first female deputy chief of police

• creating two school resource officer positions by obtaining a federal community policing grant

• creating a Citizen’s Police Academy

In a press release, the Portsmouth Police Department thanked Chief Lee “for his 40 incredible years as a law enforcement servant. Chief Lee is truly an inspiration for all that work in the law enforcement community.”