Mayor Tim Kelly is approving another year's term for Police Chief Celeste Murphy.
Eric Holl, senior advisor to the mayor, said, "The city auditor found allegations about Chief Murphy’s residence to be unsubstantiated. We are confident Chief Murphy can meet legal residency requirements and address any issues with her out-of-date homestead exemption in Georgia. Mayor Kelly will execute the one-year extension of Chief Murphy’s contract as planned.
"We are moving in the right direction on public safety in Chattanooga. Thanks to the hard work of the men and women of CPD, led by Chief Murphy, crime in our city went down 12 percent from 2022 to 2023.
"CPD is successfully closing homicide cases at a rate of more than 90 percent, which is nearly double the national average. CPD is getting illegal guns off the street and helping tackle the opioid epidemic. Any crime is too much crime, but CPD's hard work is paying off and our citizens are safer as a result."