GREENVILLE, N.C (WNCT) – Greenville Police Chief Mark Holtzman announced Friday his resignation from the Greenville Police Department after seven years in the position.

Holtzman’s last day on the job will be July 29, Deputy Chief of Police Ted Sauls will assume the role of Interim Police Chief upon his departure.

“I want to extend our gratitude to Chief Holtzman for his service to the City of Greenville,” Greenville City Manager Ann Wall said. “His efforts in reducing crime and crashes in our city, community policing, and partnerships are much appreciated, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

Holtzman spearheaded several impactful initiatives during his time with the Greenville Police Department, including the establishment of the Traffic Safety Task Force, a collaboration formed in 2018 that includes representatives from the City, East Carolina University, ECU Health, and the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Task force initiatives resulted in a 25 percent reduction in vehicle crashes from 2018-2020.

Crime reduction, community policing, and partnerships with residential and business communities were also a primary focus of Holtzman. Examples of such efforts included enhancements to city street lighting, increases in public safety cameras, and outreach efforts such as the Cops & Barbers program. Holtzman also worked to strengthen the partnership between Greenville Police and ECU Police and the police’s relationship with mental health professionals.

“Chief Holtzman was dedicated to improving the quality of life in the City of Greenville, and we thank him for his dedication,” Greenville Mayor P.J. Connelly said.

Holtzman took over as Chief of Police in Greenville in September of 2015 following 26 years with the Police Department in Hagerstown, Maryland.

The City of Greenville will begin a search for its next Chief of Police in the coming weeks.