Winston-Salem Police Chief Catrina Thompson picked as NC marshal

A recent State Highway Patrol commander and the current Winston-Salem police chief will be among President Joe Biden's nominees to serve as North Carolina's three U.S. marshals.

Biden announced on Tuesday that retired patrol Col. Glenn McNeill is his choice to become marshal for the Eastern District of North Carolina, while the president said it's his intent to nominate Winston-Salem Chief Catrina Thompson for the Middle District post.

The nominee for the Western District will be Terry Burgin, who is currently the district's security officer for the U.S. Marshals Service. He was Lincolnton's police chief for 16 years before joining the marshals service in 2005.

Marshal nominees are subject to U.S. Senate confirmation.

McNeill, who joined the patrol in 1993, was appointed the agency's commander by Gov. Roy Cooper in 2017. He announced his patrol retirement in February 2021.

Thompson first joined the Winston-Salem police department in 1994 as an officer, rising through the ranks until being named chief in 2017.

Marshals' duties include protecting federal judges, capturing federal fugitives and housing and transporting federal prisoners.