WSPD Chief Catrina Thompson announces retirement
Chief Catrina Thompson has announced she will retire later this year.
Last week Winston-Salem Police Chief Catrina Thompson announced that she will be retiring from the department in December.
Thompson has spent her entire career with the Winston-Salem Police Department (WSPD). A native of Detroit, she joined the local police department in 1994. She has served in the Patrol Division, Recruiting Unit, Training Division and the Criminal Investigations Division. She also served as one of the departmental commanders of the Crisis/Hostage Negotiation Team, before she was named WSPD’s 15th chief 2017.
“Serving as Winston-Salem chief of police is one of the greatest honors of my public safety career,” Thompson said. “I will always love this agency and believe in its mission. My commitment to law enforcement will always be strong as I truly respect, appreciate and support this noble profession.”
In a press release issued on Friday, July 29, City Manager Lee Garrity said Thompsons’ steady leadership served the city well at a time when police-community relations across the nation have been strained.
“Our city has been blessed to have a police chief who earned the trust of the citizens and allowed Winston-Salem to weather the sorts of incidents that can set police and community relations on edge,” Garrity said. “Our next police chief will have some big shoes to fill.”
The city will retain an executive search firm to conduct a national search for the next police chief, in consultation with the mayor, members of the city council, police employees and community leaders.
