Belhaven to Name Interim Police Chief Amid Staffing Shortages

Greenville New Bern Washington, NC, October 14, 2026 —

The Town of Belhaven, North Carolina, plans to announce an interim police chief next week as the department faces ongoing staffing shortages. The planned appointment follows the recent resignations of the town’s police chief and a lieutenant.

The town is also assessing the future needs and sustainability of its police department. The summary of the announcement did not provide details about the scope or timing of that assessment, or describe any decisions made as part of it.

The names of the departing chief and lieutenant were not provided. The town has not identified the interim chief in the information available, and no details were provided about the person’s expected responsibilities or how long the interim appointment may last.

The number of current vacancies, the department’s staffing levels and the circumstances surrounding the resignations were not specified. The town also did not provide information about recruitment plans, the cost of any staffing changes or a timeline for decisions about the department’s longer-term structure.

For now, the stated next step is the announcement of an interim chief next week. The town’s assessment of the department’s future needs and sustainability is also underway, but no findings or recommendations were included in the summary. Further details about either matter were not provided.

Story summarized from the original created by WITN Web Team on www.witn.com, see more information here.

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