The Wake Forest Police Department has a new police chief.
Following a nationwide search and intensive interview process, Wake Forest Town Manager Kip Padgett announced Wednesday that interim chief Julius Jefferson has been appointed to a permanent position.
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Jefferson served as interim following Jeff Leonard's retirement in February.
“Chief Jefferson has shown outstanding leadership throughout his nearly 20-year tenure with the Wake Forest Police Department,” said Padgett in a Facebook post. “He has built tremendous trust with officers, command staff, professional staff, the town’s leadership team, and our community. I am confident he will continue to lead the department with integrity, vision, and an unwavering commitment to our community’s safety.”
A Warren County native, Jefferson started his career with the Wake County Sheriff's Office in 1996 as a detention officer.
In 1999, he was promoted to detention sergeant, a position he held until starting Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) at Vance-Granville Community College in 2006. He graduated from BLET later that year.
In September 2006, Jefferson began working with the Wake Forest Police Department as a patrol officer. Since then, he has worked as a patrol sergeant, impact sergeant, traffic sergeant, impact lieutenant and impact captain. He has also served on the Wake County Traffic Safety Task Force.