WFXR Roanoke reports Scott Booth, Chief of Police for the Roanoke Police Department (RPD), may soon be stepping down from that role. During his time at RPD, the Roanoke community has seen crime steadily decline, including a “near 20 percent drop” from 2025 to 2026. This potential change in leadership coincides with RPD’s new partnership with the Center for Policing Equity (CPE), spearheaded by Chief Booth. Niles Wilson, Senior Director of Law Enforcement Initiatives at CPE, is confident CPE will continue the partnership with RPD:
The possible shakeup comes at a busy time for the department. Roanoke Police Department (RPD) recently launched a new partnership with the non-profit Center for Policing Equity (CPE) to help increase public safety and trust in the police through data-informed decision-making.
CPE’s senior director of law enforcement initiatives, Niles Wilson Sr., said even though he’s formed a good relationship with Booth through his time in Danville, that partnership does not solely rely on him being there.
“Our agreement is with Chief Booth, but also the city manager,” Wilson said. “That way, if there’s a change in leadership, whether it’s in the city or in the police department, whoever comes in new also knows that this is something that we’ve committed to and we’re going to keep moving forward in this direction.”
Read the article at WFXR Roanoke’s website.