CHARLOTTE — City of Charlotte Manager Marcus Jones announced that Estella Patterson will be the next police chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, becoming the first woman to hold the position in the city’s history.
Patterson, who goes by Stella, previously served as the Raleigh Police Chief before retiring earlier this year. She led that department for three-and-a-half years. Before that, she spent 25 years at CMPD, joining in 1996 as the class president of her recruiting class.
The city says the selection process for the new police chief involved significant input from community groups and stakeholders, including feedback from over 600 CMPD officers and more than 850 community survey responses.
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During her tenure as Raleigh Police Chief from August 2021 to March 2025, Patterson made strides to improve the department, including reducing the department’s vacancy rate, boosting employee morale, and achieving a 100% clearance rate for homicides in 2024, according to a release from the City of Charlotte.
During her time with CMPD, she served in various roles, including patrol officer, academy instructor, and deputy chief over both administrative and patrol services.
She also served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1996 to 2005, completing combat tours in Kosovo and Iraq, and earning the Army Commendation Medal twice.
In a statement, Patterson said, in part, “I am deeply humbled and honored to return to Charlotte to serve the community and lead CMPD into its next chapter. Reducing violent crime and disorder, enhancing community engagement, and increasing employee morale and wellness are among my top priorities.”
Former CMPD captain Joel McNelly told Channel 9 that he’s glad Patterson got the job.
“I always found Stella to be a really genuine person who was- she was who she was in all situations,” he said.
Outgoing CMPD Police Chief Johnny Jennings, who is retiring at the end of the year, expressed his support for Patterson, noting her previous accomplishments and familiarity with the department.
The city says it will hold an introductory press conference at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center on Monday at 11:30 a.m.
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