Cherokee – Cherokee Indian Police Department Chief of Police Josh Taylor stepped down on Monday, just 11 months after taking the job.
Captain of Corrections Carla Neadeau was named interim police chief.
Neadeau has been with the department since 2009 and is the first woman to lead the department.
On his Facebook page, Richard Sneed, principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, said, “It is my esteemed honor to welcome Captain of Corrections, Carla Neadeau, as the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian Police Department’s interim Chief of Police, effective June 27.
“Captain Neadeau has been a part of CIPD since 2009 and has been a supervisor for three years and manager for years years. She has a master’s in Business Administration, and has three classes to graduate with her second master’s in Criminal Law. I have full faith that she will do everything in her power to ensure that our EBCI citizens are protected.”
Taylor announced his resignation on June 13, just shy of a year under his belt as police chief.
In his statement announcing his resignation, Taylor said it has been his honor “to serve my community and the people I care so much about. We have accomplished a lot of great things this past year, but it is time for new adventures.
“In my 11 months in office, this Department has truly pushed the pace. For almost a year, I gave this job everything I had, and now it is time for me to step back and spend more time with my family.”
The Cherokee Indian Police Department has 67 sworn officers.
“The Qualla Boundary is no longer a safe haven for drug dealers — due to community reporting and dedicated officers, we have cleaned up neighborhoods that used to be overrun by drugs,” he said. “There is still a long way to go, but countless community members have told us that they now feel safer in their homes.’
Taylor said that drug use drives a lot of the community’s crime, but is “often a symptom of the deep-rooted trauma and violence kids experience in their own homes.
“To make a long-term impact, we have to stop the cycle of violence against our most vulnerable family members, friends, and neighbors.”
Taylor said he is confident that Neadeau will maintain positive momentum within the department.