Raleigh announces finalists for city’s next police chief
The city of Raleigh released the names Wednesday of the top three finalists for police chief.
The list came out a day before a virtual community forum Thursday evening, during which the public can hear from the three candidates who want to succeed outgoing Police Chief Cassandra Deck-Brown.
Deck-Brown announced her retirement in late 2020 after a summer of George Floyd protests and criticism over how the Raleigh Police Department handled those protests. Her last day is June 30.
Thirty-one people applied to lead the department of more than 900 employees. Here are the finalists.
Robert Lowe
Current job: Deputy Superintendent for the Cambridge (Massachusetts) Police Department
Biography: A Cambridge native, Lowe joined the police department in 2001 and is the commanding officer for a recently created “Family and Social Justice Section, which was established to provide specific services to those better served through a social justice approach than conventional criminal justice approaches,according to the department’s website.
Darryl McSwain
Current job: Chief of police for the Maryland-National Capital Park Police - Montgomery County Division.
Biography: McSwain was appointed to his current position in 2018 and is in charge of a police department that oversees the park system of Montgomery County. Before that, he served 30-years with the Montgomery County Police Department before retiring as assistant chief, according to the police department’s website. He was recently inducted into the county’s Human Rights Hall of Fame, according to a news release.
Estella Patterson
Current job: Deputy Chief for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
Biography: Patterson has served in her current role since 2019, but joined the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department in 1996, according to the department’s website. Before her current role, she served as a police major and internal affairs commander, according to her LinkedIn page.
Thursday police forum
What: Gary Peterson, of Public Sector Search & Consulting, will moderate a virtual forum with the three police chief finalists.
When: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, June 11
Where: People will be able to watch online on the city’s website (www.raleighnc.gov) or on the city’s YouTube page (www.youtube.com/cityofraleigh). People can watch on their television on RTN TV11.
Community members were able to submit questions for the police finalists.
