Cornelius Names Jennifer Thompson Next Police Chief

Jennifer Thompson, a 25-year veteran of the Cornelius Police Department, has been named the town’s next police chief, becoming the first woman to lead the department.

Thompson currently serves as deputy chief and has spent her entire law enforcement career in Cornelius. Hired in 2001 as a Basic Law Enforcement Training cadet, she has served as an officer, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and deputy chief.

Town Manager Andrew Grant said Thompson’s promotion reflects her performance, qualifications and experience.

“Her commitment to serving the community and CPD’s employees is commendable,” Grant said, adding that he was excited to “see her raise the bar of our agency as chiefs before her have done.”

Thompson holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Gardner-Webb University and is a graduate of the FBI-Leadership Trilogy. She was named the Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce Officer of the Year in 2008 and has completed thousands of hours of professional training.

In a statement, Thompson said she has grown alongside the department during her 25 years in Cornelius.

“Being named Chief of Police for the Town of Cornelius is an incredible honor, and one I do not take lightly,” she said.

Thompson said her priorities include supporting department employees and improving officers’ mental and emotional well-being. She said she wants to foster a culture in which officers feel valued and comfortable seeking help when needed.

“Supporting our officers, investing in their well-being and helping them succeed will always be important to me,” she said.

Thompson’s family also has ties to law enforcement. Her husband, Eric, retired as a captain with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol after a 30-year career. Their older son, Blake, is a state trooper.

Their younger son, Jace, died at age 5 after battling diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, an aggressive form of pediatric brain cancer. Thompson said the loss shaped her life and led her to advocate for greater awareness and research into the disease.

“His life and his battle have given me a purpose I never expected to carry,” she said.

Thompson said she looks forward to building on the department’s existing work and helping shape its future.

“Most of all, I look forward to continuing to serve this community, honoring all that has been accomplished, building on the foundation that has been established, and helping shape an even stronger future for the Cornelius Police Department,” she said.

There is no statewide database listing the number of female police chiefs in North Carolina, but Thompson joins a short list of women who lead departments in the region. In December, Estella Patterson became the first woman to lead the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

The town announced last week that Police Chief David Baucom will retire Dec. 31 after more than three decades in law enforcement and nearly 28 years with the Cornelius Police Department.