Greensboro police chief to retire May 31

Greensboro Police Chief Brian James will retire next month, a little more than two years after taking the department's top position.

James was sworn in just weeks before the pandemic started shutting down the country. Not long after, the death of George Floyd brought protests to many city streets, including Greensboro's.

During his tenure, he called for a communitywide response to high levels of violence. The city saw a record number of homicides in 2020.

James plans to step down at the end of May. The Greensboro native and Page High School graduate has been with the department since 1996, taking over as chief following the retirement of Wayne Scott.

The city is working with an executive recruiting firm in the search for James' replacement.

Teresa Biffle will serve in an interim capacity during the search. She is a 27-year veteran of the Greensboro Police Department and has served as the deputy chief of the management bureau since 2021.