Asheville Names Jackie Stepp Permanent Police Chief
Local businesses should watch whether Stepp's crime, trust, and staffing priorities shift downtown public safety.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in People
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Asheville swore in Jackie Stepp as the city's permanent police chief at City Hall on a Friday morning in November 2026. Stepp, who has served with the Asheville Police Department for more than 21 years, succeeds former Chief Mike Lamb, who retired last November.
Why it matters
The average tenure of an APD chief has been under two years, so a permanent appointment after nearly a year of interim leadership signals a bid for continuity in the department's direction. For local businesses, police leadership shapes public safety perceptions, downtown foot traffic, and the city's approach to recruiting and retaining staff.
Stepp has more than 21 years with the Asheville Police Department and served nearly a year as interim chief following Lamb's November retirement. The average tenure of an APD chief has been less than two years, which places her appointment against a recent history of short leadership terms.
The players
Asheville Police Department
The municipal police agency serving Asheville, North Carolina, responsible for local law enforcement and public safety.
Jackie Stepp
Asheville's newly sworn-in permanent police chief, with more than 21 years of service in the department and prior tenure as interim chief.
Mike Lamb
Former Asheville police chief who retired in November 2025, leaving the department to Stepp's interim leadership.
The details
Stepp rose through the department's ranks over more than 21 years before taking its top job, and she is the only police department she has applied to. Her stated priorities include reducing crime, building community trust, and improving recruitment and retention. She has also named compensation as a continuing priority, a factor that bears directly on the department's ability to fill and keep officers.
Timeline
November 2025: Former Chief Mike Lamb retired and Stepp began serving as interim chief.
Friday, November 6, 2026: Stepp was sworn in as Asheville's permanent police chief at City Hall.
Market Landscape
Asheville's police leadership has historically turned over quickly, with the average chief serving less than two years. Stepp's promotion from within after more than two decades in the department suggests the city is choosing internal continuity over a national search.
Asheville businesses should watch whether Stepp's stated focus on crime reduction and community trust produces changes in downtown safety and foot traffic over the coming quarters. Operators who depend on police response times or public-safety partnerships should monitor how recruitment and compensation priorities develop.
The takeaway
The appointment places a leader with two decades of internal experience at the helm of a department that has churned through chiefs. Local operators should track whether recruitment and retention gains follow, since staffing stability affects the city's public-safety environment.
Further reading
For more on the leaders shaping local institutions, see People coverage across Asheville.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WLOS.
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