A Small Town Girl Moved to Make a Difference: Petula Sellars
Ask Petula Sellars who she is, and she doesn’t lead with what she’s most known for: being the former Assistant Chief of the High Point Police Department – and the only Black woman to ever hold that seat. Instead, she leads with humility and a big heart, fully acknowledging her limitations and the role she plays in a greater, collective effort to shape the world around her. It’s this humility along with a clear sense of purpose that helps Petula keep her accomplishments and her impact on others in perspective.
“I’m a simple, everyday person that loves people, and I think the reason I was born was to serve others,” she says. “Learning that, being proud of that, and walking in that, has allowed me to be of service to the citizens of High Point.”
Up until her retirement in June 2023, Petula dedicated 21 years to HPPD, a career that opened the door for her to connect with the High Point community in a way that has continued past her retirement. Tapping into her love for people, the self-proclaimed “country girl” from Cedar Grove, NC used her role as an opportunity to reimagine the possibilities for youth, women, and even her colleagues in law enforcement.
“I think God gave me all of that… loving people, wanting to protect the vulnerable and empower the youth, and wanting them to succeed in life. I think he gave me all of that,” she says. “So, that’s my purpose and I want to walk in my purpose, every day and all day.”
Petula lets her commitment to impact lives guide her work and uses her influence as a woman of color and a member of law enforcement to spearhead several initiatives that are still making a difference in the city today.
“I’m grateful that these programs started under my tenure, but I don’t want to say these are Petula’s things because it took teamwork to get it done,” she says. “But I’m grateful that I wasn’t afraid to start them or ask someone, ‘Hey, can we start this together?’ because I see the people who have been blessed by these programs.”
One of those programs is The Youth Leadership Academy. Organized by HPPD’s School Resource Officers, The Youth Leadership Academy is an intensive, hands-on leadership program that gives high school students a closer look at the inner workings of the High Point community and engages them in service projects over the span of two weeks. Angels in Blue continues to create unforgettable Christmases for families faced with tragedy and hardship by pairing them with unknown donors, angels, who help fulfill their wish lists, which often include basic necessities as well as some very pleasant surprises.
The HPPD’s Women’s Empowerment Institute (WEI) was established following a law enforcement Command retreat during which Petula and other officers expressed a desire for women working in the criminal justice system to have and feel a sense of community within the organization. Now, WEI serves as a safe space for all women, regardless of their career path, to feel supported, while also creating opportunities for them to come together to give back to their communities through outreach.
Petula most recently partnered with others in the community to establish the High Point Police Foundation, an initiative that will support the police department in the areas of officer/employee wellness, outreach and training.
Encouraged by testimonies from people whose lives she’s touched – parents of teenagers who once isolated themselves and are now leading others; women in male dominated spaces who now feel that their voices are being heard –– Petula believes that being in law enforcement is the perfect avenue for changing lives and communities, which is why she never hesitates to encourage others, often strangers, to consider entering the field.
Despite the mark Petula has left on the city of High Point through her service, law enforcement was not always her intended path. She once had dreams of becoming an orthodontist and even obtained a fashion and marketing degree in hopes of becoming a retail buyer, but the murder of her cousin shortly after her twenty-first birthday, changed her trajectory. As she listened to the media’s portrayal of her cousin and the incidents leading up to her death, Petula was hurt, appalled and in search of answers, some of which came through the presiding District Attorney, who visited the family’s church regularly to keep them up to date on the case.
“I loved that because I was totally clueless… but I was learning. Each time he came, I learned more, but I also wanted more, and that changed everything,” she says. Petula says that connection and level of engagement with the District Attorney moved her to become so deeply ingrained in any and everything related to the criminal justice system.
“And one of the first things I realized,” she adds, “was that we, as African-Americans, were very far removed from the system in how it operated. Oftentimes, if we were involved in the criminal justice system, it was after a crime had been committed or we were alleged to have committed a crime, but we didn’t know the ins and outs of the system, and I wanted to know; and I have found over my years that my job and my knowledge have educated so many people.”
In a remarkable demonstration of turning adversity into opportunity, Petula let personal tragedy and her quest for knowledge be her motivation to become part of the change that she desired to see in the criminal justice system. She first took on the role of Deputy Clerk while in Orange County, NC before coming to work for HPPD.
She has sought to be a change agent ever since, and change, as she has come to learn, stems from having the courage to engage in difficult conversations, and a willingness to work in partnership with others to achieve a common goal.
“No one person is greater than the next,” she says. “It’s a whole collaborative effort that’s beautiful. It’s bigger than one person. It’s bigger than Petula Sellars. Petula’s just glad she’s on the ship.”
“I’m a simple, everyday person that loves people, and I think the reason I was born was to serve others. Learning that, being proud of that, and walking in that, has allowed me to be of service to the citizens of High Point.”
Petula Sellars, former Assistant Chief of the High Point Police Department.
For a city like High Point that continues to evolve, Petula’s ability to see and to communicate the needs of her community is the perfect complement. And though she no longer wears the badge or the uniform, she is still committed to being actively involved in making High Point better for everyone fortunate enough to call it home.
In September, just a few short months after retiring from the police department, Petula accepted the role of executive director of C3, Community Collaboration for Children, Inc., a nonprofit organization that connects children affected by violence and poverty with essential support services. For Petula, it was a move that just made sense. Once a victim of domestic violence herself, she now has an opportunity to work more closely with individuals for whom she’s developed such a passion and a desire to see them overcome.
“You change what you can change,” she concludes.
Reflecting on her contributions to the City of High Point thus far, Petula says she is proud that God allowed her to be a vessel. “I hope I planted seeds showing that just because I wore a badge, that I wasn’t better than you; that my job wasn’t to judge. My job was to help people. I hope I’ve done that.”
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The HPD Team