Chattanooga police chief resigns after investigation into abuse of office

Celeste Murphy

Mayor Tim Kelly on Wednesday accepted the resignation of Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy amid an abuse of office investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

“This morning, I accepted the resignation of Chattanooga Police Chief Celeste Murphy, effective immediately. While the circumstances of the situation have been challenging, I respect her desire to maintain the integrity of the Chattanooga Police Department,” said Mayor Kelly.

“The brave men and women of CPD provide outstanding service to our community every day. Over the past two years, crime in Chattanooga has dropped significantly and CPD has solidified its reputation as a national leader in community policing, violence reduction, collaborative crisis response and case resolution.

“Under Chief Murphy’s leadership, the department has achieved a homicide clearance rate of over 90 percent, which is about double the national average and is a testament to the strong relationship CPD has built with the community it serves. Public safety is the foundation of healthy communities, and finding the right person to lead the Chattanooga Police Department as our next Chief of Police is critical.”

Mayor Kelly said he will convene a community advisory committee for the search, chaired by Councilwoman Raquetta Dotley and consisting of community and faith leaders and CPD officials. Former Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher will serve in an advisory capacity to the search committee. As with the 2022 police chief search, the process will “place a high emphasis on Mayor Kelly and CPD’s core values ​​and priorities, including community engagement, neighborhood policing, gun violence prevention, collaborative mental health crisis response, professional development and officer recruitment to full operational capacity, as well as a deep commitment to CPD’s vision and mission.”

Harry Sommers, the current acting chief of CPD and a 40-year veteran of law enforcement, will serve as interim chief of police.

“The men and women of CPD work hard every day, often in the face of great danger, to protect our community and enforce the law. It is an honor to serve as interim chief leading one of America’s finest police forces,” said Chief Sommers. “Even though our officers have new leadership, their commitment to serving with integrity remains unchanged. We will continue to effectively enforce the law while building relationships with the community to prevent crime.”

When she was hired by Mayor Tim Kelly in 2022, she was the city’s first black police chief.

In May, it was announced that Chief Murphy was under investigation by the TBI.

Chief Murphy confirmed that the investigation was initiated because of her residence. She continued to own a home in Atlanta, where she has several relatives.

She said she would “fully cooperate” with the investigation and hoped for a quick solution.

Chief Murphy said she previously launched an internal investigation into the matter. She said it will be on hold until the TBI completes its investigation.

The TBI said the agency is also investigating a complaint of abuse of authority against Police Chief Murphy.

Chief Murphy said at the time: “I hope for a quick resolution to both investigations. Since the investigations are not yet complete, my statements on this matter must be limited.”