City of Charlotte names former Raleigh Police Chief Estella Patterson as new police chief

The City of Charlotte has announced Friday that Estella Patterson will become the next Chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), making her the first woman to hold the position in the city's history.

Patterson, who began her law enforcement career with CMPD in 1996, returns to the department after serving as Raleigh's police chief from 2021 to 2025, according to a news release.

During her time in Raleigh, Patterson implemented a successful recruitment plan that reduced the department's vacancy rate from 150 to 40 in three years and established the Raleigh Police Foundation, which raised $4 million to support employee morale initiatives. Under her leadership, Raleigh achieved a 100% homicide clearance rate in 2024.

"I am deeply humbled and honored to return to Charlotte to serve the community and lead CMPD into its next chapter," Patterson said. "Reducing violent crime and disorder, enhancing community engagement, and increasing employee morale and wellness are among my top priorities. I look forward to working collaboratively with law enforcement partners and community stakeholders to make Charlotte one of the safest cities in the nation."

Patterson's career with CMPD spanned 25 years, during which she served in various roles, including patrol officer, academy instructor, Internal Affairs investigator, and Deputy Chief. She also served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1996 to 2005, earning the rank of Captain and receiving the Army Commendation Medal for her service in Kosovo and Iraq.

"The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has a long history of incredible leaders, who have collectively led CMPD to be one of the finest law enforcement agencies in the country and Chief Patterson will continue that tradition," City Manager Marcus D. Jones said. "Chief Patterson's deep experience with CMPD in addition to her recent experience leading the Raleigh Police Department made her an ideal candidate to continue CMPD's successes but also bring new ideas to further the agency's growth."

Patterson's priorities include reducing violent crime, enhancing community engagement, and improving employee morale. She will succeed Chief Johnny Jennings, who is retiring at the end of the year.

An introductory press conference for Chief Patterson will be held Monday at 11:30 a.m. at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center.