Cary Police Chief Terry Sult to Retire in January After Five Decades in Law Enforcement

Cary Police Chief Terry Sult will retire on Jan. 15, 2027, concluding more than 50 years in law enforcement and more than five years with the Cary Police Department. Sult, 69, has worked in three states during a career that included leading police departments in North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia.

Sult took on the interim chief role in Cary in 2021 and became the town's 14th police chief in 2022. His retirement will close a period of service that he said began with an agreement to stay for three to five years and address specific needs within the department.

Those assignments included developing leaders within the department and improving its preparedness, Sult said. In explaining his decision to retire, he said he believed that both he and the department had fulfilled the commitments made when he arrived. With those obligations met, he said he was ready to step away from policing after five decades.

“It's time to relax and spend time with my family,” Sult said. He also expressed appreciation to Cary residents, the town council and the town manager for their time together. Describing his service in Cary as an honor, he linked his departure to the completion of the work he had agreed to undertake.

Town Manager Russ Overton credited Sult with strengthening the department's leadership capabilities and developing a strategic plan for its future. Overton said that work had taken place while Sult maintained Cary's reputation as one of America's safest communities. He thanked the chief for his contributions and wished him well as he prepared for retirement.

Sult's career began at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, where he advanced to captain. He subsequently headed police departments in Gastonia, North Carolina, Sandy Springs, Georgia, and Hampton, Virginia. During his time in Sandy Springs, his responsibilities also included serving as public safety director.

The town's next steps in choosing a successor will begin with discussions inside the department. Overton said he intends to meet with Cary Police Department personnel in the coming weeks. After those conversations, he plans to work with the town's human resources staff to consider options for a recruitment process in 2027.