Herring Sworn In as Holly Springs Police Chief 10/04/06

John Herring was sworn in as Holly Springs' police chief Tuesday evening after serving three months as interim chief.

Mayor Dick Sears administered the oath during the Town Council meeting in front of family, police officers and other guests. Herring's wife, Katherine, and daughters Taylor and Kaleigh, stood with him as he took the oath.

“I appreciate the opportunity to serve the town in this capacity. This is just a great place to live and work,” Herring said, expressing appreciation for the support he received while interim chief.

Herring has served his entire 13-year law enforcement career in Holly Springs. He began as a part-time police officer in November 1993, working his way up through the ranks to assistant chief.

In June, Town Manager Carl Dean named Herring interim police chief when the Town's Public Safety Department was split into separate police and fire departments.

“Over the last 90 days, he has shown the ability to address many different situations,” Dean said Wednesday. “I have a lot of faith and trust in John.”

Herring takes command during a time of growth and transformation for Holly Springs and its Police Department. The Town now has more than 18,000 residents. Until 1992, it had no police force. Now the department has 29 sworn positions.

During the past 2 ½ months, Herring has hired seven officers to fill six new positions and an existing one. Recruitment continues.

“It's an ever-changing department,” Herring said.

The population was about 1,200 when Town officials decided in 1992 that Holly Springs needed its own police protection. Cecil Parker, a Garner firefighter and Wake County sheriff's deputy, was hired as a one-man police force. He had been recommended by Town Councilman Parrish Womble, a retired Sheriff's Department major.

Parker became fire chief with the Public Safety reorganization this summer.

Herring has obtained general and intermediate law enforcement certificates from the N.C. Department of Justice. He earned the department's advanced certification in November 2002.

The Department of Justice has certified Herring as a general instructor and as a firearms instructor. He is a member of the N.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, the N.C. Police Executives Association, the International Association of Law Enforcement Firearms Instructors, and the National Emergency Number Association.

Herring called Holly Springs' Police Department the finest in North Carolina.

"It's not 'me', it's 'we'," he said. "It's our responsibility to take this department to the next level."

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Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us