Durham Police Chief Patrice Andrews reflects on career as retirement nears

Durham Police Chief Patrice Andrews Reflects on Career Before Retirement

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — Durham Police Chief Patrice Andrews began her career in law enforcement in the early 1990s at the age of 22. She started with a salary of $23,000 and did not plan to stay in the job long-term.

“I needed a job. At that time, I was a single mom. Very young. I needed some stability,” said Chief Andrews.

Now 52 years old, Andrews has four months left until retirement. After nearly 30 years in law enforcement, she is ready to turn in her badge. “It’s time. I am ready to just enjoy my life,” she said.

Her first police badge sits on her desk as a reminder of her journey. She shared with ABC11 that her love for the job grew as she worked in different divisions and held various roles, including investigator.

“It allowed me to see how investigators work in different cases like homicide, violent crime, and other violent crime cases,” she said.

Andrews left the Durham Police Department in 2016 to become police chief in Morrisville. She returned to Durham as the top cop in November 2021. Her priorities included recruitment and retention, morale, and improving relationships with communities of color.

She described these efforts as a work in progress but a major team accomplishment under her leadership.

According to Andrews, DPD staff has increased by four percent, and there are currently 33 officers in the police academy.

Reflections on Regrets and Accomplishments

With accomplishments come regrets. “My biggest regret is I don’t feel I was present for my officers and my staff enough. I don’t feel I was present enough for our community,” she said. “That was often at the detriment of my personal life.”

Andrews noted that working in a male-dominated industry has not always been easy. However, she has seen the culture of the police department change as men recognized that women can do the work too.

“I have the right and also the resume to be here and have worked very hard. Nothing has been given to me,” she said.

Chief Andrews has only a few months left in her office. There are photos and other memorabilia from her journey, including a wall of patches she has collected. While she finds retirement bittersweet, she is open to continued public service, possibly teaching a leadership course at her alma mater, North Carolina Central University.

“I am still trying to figure out what is next. I can tell you what isn’t next. I am not putting on another polyester blend uniform,” she laughed.

Chief Andrews’s last day on the job is May 1, 2026. In retirement, she hopes to spend more time with her daughter and son. She thanked the Durham community for their support over the years.