Fuquay-Varina chooses new police chief, a captain from Rocky Mount squad

Laura Fahnestock, who is replacing the retiring Larry Smith, is expected to begin working for Fuquay-Varina on June 1. Town officials said she was selected from a pool of 83 candidates.

“I am very excited and proud that Laura Fahnestock has accepted my offer to be Fuquay-Varina's next police chief. Laura’s 24 years of law enforcement experience and education are impressive, and particularly her leadership experience will add significant value to what is a growing and transforming Fuquay-Varina,” Town Manager Adam Mitchell said in a statement.

Fahnestock currently serves as a captain and division commander over patrol services in Rocky Mount, where she supervises 105 positions.

​"The City of Rocky Mount is to be commended for providing Laura with the opportunities to position herself to take on the responsibilities of the police chief position,” Fuquay-Varina Mayor John W. Byrne said in a statement. “Laura brings a record of effective and collaborative leadership and a commitment to innovative policing with a strong emphasis on community policing.”

Fahnestock is a native of Wake County and received an associate's degree in criminal justice from Wake Technical Community College. She has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and public policy from N.C. Wesleyan College and a master's of business administration from Northcentral University.

​“It has been an honor and a privilege to serve 24 years in law enforcement in the City of Rocky Mount and to work with the men and women of the Rocky Mount Police Department. I will certainly miss the people here and the community I served throughout the years," she said in a statement. "Becoming a police chief is a professional goal that I have been preparing for over the years. I have a passion for law enforcement and community policing, and I will be focusing on continuing to deliver the highest level of professional policing service to the citizens of Fuquay-Varina.”