Each year at the Style of Leadership fashion show , the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce presents the Sarah Jessie Young Leadership by Example Award to a woman who exhibits strong leadership daily . Past award recipients include Cathy Foraker , Blake Woolsey , Liz Fulton , Carol Hart , Marti Sharkey and Jessie Bryant .

This year that honor goes to another very deserving civic servant – Fayetteville ’ s retiring deputy police chief , Jamie Fields .

“ I am truly honored and humbled to receive this award ,” Fields said . “ To be recognized by leaders in our business community is an incredible honor .”

Ms . Fields recently retired after over 29 years of service with the Fayetteville Police Department and 33 total years as an employee of the city . She began her

career with the Fayetteville Police Department as a police and fire dispatcher on Sept . 11 , 1990 . She was hired as a police officer on July 4 , 1994 . During her many years of service , she served the department in various capacities , including as a patrol officer , bike patrol officer , detective and member of the crisis negotiation team .

“ I am so very grateful ,” Fields said . “ I have been given many opportunities to grow and succeed . I have worked with and learned from the most honorable , courageous and intelligent men and women , and I am proud to call them my

family . I feel fortunate to have contributed to the professional and progressive culture I entered in 1990 at the Fayetteville Police Department , where the bar is set very high for performance .”

Fields was promoted to her first supervisory rank of sergeant on Sept . 2 , 2002 , where she supervised morning shift patrol and the Special Events Division , which included motorcycle patrol and bicycle patrol . On Sept . 27 , 2004 , Fields was promoted to the rank of lieutenant .

As a lieutenant , she supervised a patrol shift and the Criminal Investigation Division . In January 2012 , she was transferred to police administration , where she supervised the Office of Professional Standards , the Training Division , the Community-Oriented Policing Division , the

Warrant Division and the national accreditation process through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies ( CALEA ).

In December 2013 , Fields was promoted to the rank of captain and she managed the administrative duties of the department . She was instrumental in testing and implementing a new records management system for the organization . In July 2017 , she was assigned to the Patrol Division , where she was responsible for coordinating the activities of the patrol personnel . She was promoted to Deputy Chief of Police in October of 2019 .

“ To make it very long in public service , you have to truly want to serve others ,” Fields said . “ I have always been proud to be a Fayetteville police officer , where the culture is victim-

2 Fayetteville means business