The city of Charlotte on Monday introduced Estella Patterson as its new chief of police. She will succeed Johnny Jennings, who is retiring at the end of the year.
Patterson started her career at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in 1996, and spent 25 years there before leaving to become Raleigh’s chief of police from 2021 to 2025.
She will be Charlotte’s first female chief.
“I think my perspective as a woman in uniform brings a compassionate side to the business,” she said during a news conference. “But also it doesn’t matter what your gender, what your race, what your nationality is. We have a mission to serve the community and that’s what we do.”
She pledged to reduce violent crime and disorder. She said she will rely on the community to help law enforcement as well as CMPD’s technology. She mentioned drones.
She also said she will work to fill officer vacancies that have troubled the department.
“And when we get to zero vacancies, Mr. Manager, I’m going to come to you, and to council,” she said. “And I’m going to ask for more officers so that we can better serve this community.”
Patterson will start in January. The Fraternal Order of Police, which has criticized the city, praised the hire.
Jennings also attended the news conference and praised Patterson.
