Asheville Names Jackie Stepp Interim Police Chief, Ensures Continuity
City Manager Debra Campbell announced that Deputy Police Chief Jacquelyn Jackie Stepp was appointed interim police chief, effective November 21, stepping into the role after Chief Michael Lamb moved toward retirement. The leadership change aims to maintain department operations while the city conducts a search for a permanent chief, a matter that will affect public safety administration and community oversight.
On November 30 the city manager announced that Deputy Police Chief Jacquelyn Jackie Stepp had been named interim police chief, with the appointment effective November 21. Stepp, who joined the Asheville Police Department in 2005, had been serving as deputy chief in charge of the Administrative Bureau and now assumes overall leadership as the department transitions following Chief Michael Lamb's planned retirement.
Stepp's long tenure with the department and her role overseeing the Administrative Bureau place her at the center of the agency's internal operations during the transition. Administrative responsibilities typically include personnel, policy implementation and the day to day management that keeps patrol and support functions operating. The appointment is intended to provide institutional continuity while the city moves forward with a recruitment for a permanent chief.
For residents of Buncombe County the change matters because leadership shifts at the top of the police department can influence department priorities, community engagement and the pace of policy initiatives. An interim chief with deep departmental experience can limit immediate disruption in service delivery, staffing decisions and administrative processes. At the same time the selection process for a permanent chief will present an opportunity for public input on the department's direction and accountability mechanisms.
The city manager framed the appointment as a continuity measure while recruitment proceeds. City officials will now balance uninterrupted operations with a transparent search for a new permanent chief. Community groups, neighborhood associations and other civic stakeholders will likely monitor the recruitment to evaluate candidate priorities on issues ranging from community policing to departmental accountability.
As the transition unfolds the interim appointment establishes an immediate chain of command and preserves institutional memory. Residents should expect the department to maintain its current services while the city completes its search, and civic engagement in the recruitment process will be a key factor in shaping the department's long term leadership and policy trajectory.
