Greenville’s suspended police chief, Charles Patterson, has pleaded not guilty to simple assault by threatening.

Patterson’s attorney, Ed Blackmon, entered the plea for Patterson on Monday. A court appearance for Patterson was set for Feb. 2.

Patterson was suspended without pay in September after three women — Kela Miller, Ne’Cura Swilley and Kiara Richardson — signed affidavits that Patterson threatened them.

The women said that they didn’t know who Patterson was until he identified himself as the chief of police.