Raleigh's police chief will depart next year
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson. Photo: City of Raleigh
Estella Patterson, the chief of the Raleigh Police Department, will retire in March, the City of Raleigh announced Thursday afternoon.
Why it matters: The departure of Patterson prompts the city to search for a new leader of its police department for the second time in less than four years.
Driving the news: Patterson's last day will be March 1 of next year, according to the city.
- The city said it is "designing a search process" for the next police chief.
Zoom in: Patterson joined as head of the RPD in 2021, replacing Cassandra Deck-Brown, whose tenure included a tumultuous response to protests downtown related to the murder of George Floyd in Minnesota.
- Before joining the RPD, Patterson was a deputy chief at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. She spent more than two decades serving in Charlotte.
- Patterson was not available for comment on Thursday, a spokesperson for the city told Axios.
State of play: Patterson will leave Raleigh with violent crimes in Raleigh on the decline, Axios reported.
- But at the same time, the number of homicides in the city has increased and the department remains understaffed after years of being unable to fill vacant roles.
- A notable flashpoint during Patterson's tenure included a spike in crime in downtown Raleigh that led to widespread concern from businesses and local leaders. Criminal activity in the city's downtown district has decreased in recent months — something that Patterson has attributed to increasing patrols.
- The city's police department was also sued during her time in charge over the death of Darryl Williams, who died in police custody after being tased.
What they're saying: "My goal has always been to reduce violence and to establish Raleigh as a leader in public safety best practices. We have accomplished this, and I believe we have a strong foundation for future successes," Patterson said in a statement.