Captain Kerley grew up in Alexander County and graduated from Alexander Central High School in 1999. He enlisted to serve in the U.S. Navy from 1999 to 2003, and completed two overseas tours in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Following his military service, he attended Appalachian State University where he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice in 2005. Captain Kerley began his career at HPD in 2006 and completed Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) at Western Piedmont Community College. Kerley held numerous leadership positions at HPD including most recently Lieutenant of the Criminal Investigations Division from 2023 to 2025. He also serves as commander of the Special Operations Team, which he joined in 2008. Kerley served in several positions in all three divisions at HPD. With the Patrol Division, he was first assigned to Adam PACT in 2006. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 2014 when he was made Commander of Baker PACT, then transferred to David PACT in 2016, and Edward PACT in 2018. In 2008, he was selected as an investigator for the Criminal Investigation Division. He was made a supervisor in the division from 2012 to 2014. In 2021, he transferred from the Patrol Division to the Support Services Division as the Commander of Community Services until 2023.

Throughout his career, Captain Kerley earned several awards and recognitions including HPD’s Athletics Club Police Officer of the year in 2008, and Elk’s Police Officer of the Year in 2009. He also received his Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate from the North Carolina Justice Academy in 2014, and selected to attend the North Carolina Justice Academy Management Development Program, the state’s highest law enforcement leadership program, in 2018. Off-duty, Captain Kerley coaches travel soccer and baseball, and enjoys spending time with his family.