Durham Appoints Interim Police Chief as Search Continues

City seeks community input to find permanent replacement for outgoing Chief Patrice Andrews

Apr. 9, 2026 at 10:21pm

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A photorealistic painting of a Durham police car parked on a quiet city street, with warm sunlight casting long shadows across the pavement, conceptually representing the thoughtful process of selecting a new police chief.As Durham seeks a new police chief to guide the department and build community trust, the city reflects on the importance of finding the right leader to uphold its values.Durham Today

Durham city officials have appointed Deputy Police Chief Walter Tate as interim chief, effective May 1, as the city launches a national search for a permanent replacement for outgoing Police Chief Patrice Andrews. The city is calling on residents to provide input on the qualities and priorities they want to see in the next police chief through an online survey that closes on April 24.

Why it matters

The selection of a new police chief is a critical decision for the city of Durham, as the chief will be responsible for leading the police department and building relationships with the community. Resident input will help ensure the new chief is a good fit for Durham and its values.

The details

Deputy Chief Walter Tate, a 30-year veteran of the Durham Police Department, will take over as interim chief on May 1 when current Chief Patrice Andrews retires. The city has hired a recruitment firm, Developmental Associates, LLC, to gather feedback from the community and law enforcement before assessing candidates and conducting interviews next month. City Manager Bo Ferguson said the goal is to complete the search within the next 90 days, though he acknowledged it is an 'aggressive' timeline.

  • On April 9, 2026, Durham city officials appointed Walter Tate as interim police chief.
  • Tate will take over as interim chief on May 1, 2026.
  • The city's online survey for resident input closes on April 24, 2026.
  • The city plans to complete its search for a permanent police chief within the next 90 days.

The players

Walter Tate

Deputy Police Chief of the Durham Police Department who will serve as interim chief starting May 1, 2026.

Patrice Andrews

Current Police Chief of the Durham Police Department who is retiring in May 2026 after more than four years in the role.

Bo Ferguson

Durham City Manager who is responsible for selecting the next permanent police chief.

Developmental Associates, LLC

Recruitment firm hired by the city to gather feedback from the community and law enforcement before the candidate assessment and interview process.

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What they’re saying

“There's no doubt that choosing a police chief is one of the most important decisions I'm going to make this year. Finding the right leader that's a good fit for Durham that gets our community, that can lead our law enforcement staff, is a critical choice.”

— Bo Ferguson, Durham City Manager

“I expect that what we're looking for and what the community is looking for has an awful lot of overlap.”

— Bo Ferguson, Durham City Manager

“Deputy Chief Tate has deep experience across every part of this department and a strong commitment to our community. His leadership, professionalism, and understanding of Durham's needs make him well-suited to serve in this interim role.”

— Bo Ferguson, Durham City Manager

What’s next

The city plans to complete its search for a permanent police chief within the next 90 days.

The takeaway

The selection of Durham's next police chief is a critical decision that will impact the city's public safety and community relations. By seeking extensive resident input, the city is aiming to find a leader who can build trust, respect individual rights, and serve as a role model for the entire police department.