Jerrita Patterson leaves WREG after seven years for Shelby County Sheriff’s Office

Jerrita Patterson is leaving WREG in Memphis, Tennessee, after seven years with the station to become a public information officer for the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, ending a 22-year career in television news.

Patterson, who most recently served as a morning anchor and breaking news reporter at the Nexstar-owned CBS affiliate, will join the administration of newly appointed Sheriff Anthony Buckner.

The move marks a transition from covering public safety agencies as a journalist to managing communications for one of the region’s largest law enforcement organizations.

Buckner announced Patterson’s appointment as part of his efforts to strengthen communication between the sheriff’s office and Shelby County residents.

“I believe the public deserves an agency that communicates openly, honestly and consistently with the community we serve,” Buckner said in a statement.

“Jerrita understands the importance of telling our story, keeping the public informed, and making sure the voice of the sheriff’s office is represented with accuracy and integrity,” he added.

Patterson has been a familiar presence in Memphis television news for more than a decade. She arrived in the market in 2015, joining WHBQ, the Fox affiliate known as Fox 13, before moving to WREG in 2019.

During her time at WREG, Patterson covered breaking news and other major developments throughout the Memphis area while serving as an anchor on the station’s morning newscasts.

Her broadcasting career began in Nashville, Tennessee, where she worked behind the scenes at WKRN as an associate producer, web editor and weekend producer.

She subsequently moved to KXLF and KBZK in Butte, Montana, where she spent two years working as a reporter and anchor.

While reporting in Virginia, she received two Emmy Awards for her journalism.

Originally from Bowling Green, Kentucky, Patterson grew up in Nashville and graduated from Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia. She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and its Memphis chapter.