Police Chief's Office

Meet the Chief

Estella D. Patterson was appointed Chief of the Raleigh Police Department on Aug. 1, 2021. As Raleigh’s senior law enforcement official, Chief Patterson leads the capital city’s police department of over 900 sworn and civilian employees. With a goal of making Raleigh the safest city in the nation, Chief Patterson’s priorities are to reduce violent crime, increase community engagement, and increase efficiency and morale throughout the Department.

Before joining the Raleigh Police Department, Chief Patterson served with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department from 1996-2021 in numerous capacities including patrol officer, instructor, recruitment director, Internal Affairs commander, and Patrol Services Deputy Chief. Aside from serving her community as a public safety professional, Chief Patterson served her country as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve from 1996-2005. Her service included combat tours to Kosovo in support of Operation Joint Guardian and to Iraq as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. 

Chief Patterson currently serves as an executive board member and second vice-president of the N.C. Police Executives Association. She is also a Commissioner on the N.C. Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission which regulates the training, certification, and policy making for all police officers in the state of North Carolina.  Additionally, she is a member of the Eastern NC chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE).

Chief Patterson earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and her Master of Science in criminal justice from the University of Oklahoma. She is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and attended the 56th Session of the Senior Management Institute for Police. As a law enforcement professional and dedicated public servant, Chief Patterson’s passions lie in building collaborative partnerships in the community and engaging the youth through positive mentoring initiatives.

Deputy Chiefs and the Chief of Staff

The Chief of Police is assisted by two Deputy Chiefs and a Chief of Staff.

Public Affairs Office

The Public Affairs Office serves within the Chief’s Office.

The Public Affairs Office is led by a lieutenant who serves as the public information officer and department spokesperson. The office also includes a senior communications analyst who serves as the deputy public information officer, a detective, a communications specialist, and a social media specialist.

The Public Affairs Office coordinates internal and external communications, media relations, and various informational and promotional materials. This includes preparing press releases, responding to public records requests and media inquiries, and maintaining the Department’s social media accounts. To contact a member of the Public Information Office, you may email the office or call 919-996-1262. More information is available on public records requests as well.   

The Public Affairs Office is always seeking communications interns. For more information: https://joinraleighpd.org/internship-program.html or contact our office at 919-996-1262. 

Staff:

• Lieutenant Jason Borneo
• Senior Communications Analyst: Andrew Hyatt
• Detective Christopher Gay
• Communications Analyst: Kiely Ellenberger
• Communications Analyst: Darran Todd

Office of Professional Standards

The Office of Professional Standards was formed in 2012 and serves under the Chief's Office. This division includes a major, a captain, three lieutenants, and six sergeants. The office encompasses the Internal Affairs Unit, Inspections Unit and Accreditation Unit.

Internal Affairs

The Raleigh Police Department is dedicated to serving the community in an efficient, effective, and professional manner. The Internal Affairs Unit helps maintain public confidence and trust in the Department, by serving as a point of contact for members of the public who wish to commend or question the performance of the Department's officers. You can contact internal.affairs@raleighnc.gov

Learn More about the Internal Affairs Unit

Accreditation

The Raleigh Police Department participates in the CALEA Law Enforcement Accreditation process. As a part of this process, we provide an opportunity for public feedback via the CALEA Portal.
 
The purpose of this public portal is to receive comments regarding our compliance with CALEA standards, engagement in the service community, delivery of public safety services, and overall candidacy for accreditation status. These comments can be in the form of commendations or concerns. The overall intent of the accreditation process is to provide our agency with information to support continuous improvement, as well as foster our pursuit of professional excellence.
 
It is important to know that CALEA is not an investigatory body, and subsequently, the public portal should not be used to submit information for such purposes. Additionally, there will be no response other than acknowledgment to submissions; however, the information will be considered in context to its relevancy to compliance with standards and the tenets of CALEA® Accreditation.

Fiscal Unit

The Fiscal Unit handles all of the RPD’s financial matters, including budget preparation, purchasing, travel coordination, facilities management, and grant administration. The unit also ensures compliance with the City of Raleigh’s financial processes while monitoring departmental budget and expenditures.

Research and Planning Unit

The Research and Planning Unit is a part of the Chief’s Office and is led by a Sergeant. The Research and Planning Unit is responsible for providing planning and research for the development, implementation and/or the operation of specialized departmental programs and operations by utilizing a variety of analysis techniques. The unit is responsible for preparing complex reports provided to the Chief of Police and members of the leadership team. The unit conducts or participates in studies and research projects for the Department and provides in-depth research on law enforcement trends. The unit maintains the multi-year strategic business plan that documents departmental objectives, initiatives, and milestones, in addition to, the response and coordination of surveys. The unit also provides support and assistance to other Department employees, city staff, and law enforcement partners.

Research and Planning Lieutenant: 
Jonathan Layman 
jonathan.layman@raleighnc.gov
919-996-1317

A limited number of specialized program internships with the Research and Planning Unit are available.

For information regarding an internship with the Research and Planning Unit, contact Lieutenant Jonathan Layman.