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Va. Beach Police Chief Jacocks to Retire

April 19, 2010 | VACP

News Image VACP Executive Board Member Chief A.M. “Jake” Jacocks, Jr., announced Monday that he is retiring from the Virginia Beach Police Department, effective June 1.

Jacocks was a member of the Virginia Beach Police Department for 38 years. He became a sworn officer in October 1973. Since then, Chief Jacocks has served in many assignments, including posts in all four precincts, Special Operations, the Detective Bureau, and the Office of Professional Standards. He became Chief of Police in March 2000.

“It has been an honor and a pleasure to serve with Chief Jacocks for so many years,” City Manager James K. Spore said. “I am personally sorry to see Jake leave Virginia Beach, but I know the city is safer today because of his tenure here. He was a true professional and a first-rate chief.” Chief Jacocks was responsible delivering police services to a population of more than 435,000 in the nation’s 42nd largest city, providing management, leadership and guidance for a sworn staff of 816, a civilian staff of 167 and a budget of $88 million. The following are some of the many accomplishments the Virginia Beach Police Department has achieved under Chief Jacocks’ guidance and direction:
  • Actively engaged the community in policy development and review, as well as in more traditional things, such as Citizen’s Advisory Committees and crime-prevention efforts.
  • Assigned a departmental liaison to the City’s Human Rights Commission.
  • Implemented COMPSTAT.
  • Maintained a remarkably low violent-crime rate and an exceptionally high crime clearance rate.
  • Stressed the importance of continuing education and instituted college education requirements for promotion to supervisory ranks.
  • Earned numerous awards for traffic safety education and enforcement initiatives.
  • Deployed AED’s in most patrol cars, resulting in many cardiac arrest patient saves.
  • Significantly expanded the use of less-lethal weapons, such as Sage weapons and Tasers.
  • Acquired new medevac-equipped helicopter that has already transported many patients.
  • Established leadership development initiatives, such as WestPoint Leadership Class, the sergeants’ preparations course, and formalized field training for new sergeants.
  • Aggressively pursued federal grants that have provided funding for expanded communications technology, bomb squad equipment and marine patrol vessels.
  • Helped earn an Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) designation for the region, which has resulted in significant homeland security grant funding for Hampton Roads.
  • Implemented a comprehensive leadership development program for the department, including civilian and sworn members, as the focus of our succession planning.
Through his active involvement as a past member of the IACP’s Executive Committee and in the Major Cities Chiefs Association, where he has been a long-time member of the Executive Board and is currently 2nd vice-president and member of the Homeland Security Committee, Chief Jacocks helped elevate the status of the VBPD nationally. He served for several years as a member of the Commonwealth’s Criminal Justice Services Board, and is a member of the Executive Board of the VACP and a past president of the Hampton Roads Chiefs Association. Chief Jacocks is a graduate of the FBI’s National Executive Institute, the Southern Police Institute’s 64th Administrative Officers Course, the Police Executive Leadership School at the University of Richmond, P.E.R.F’s Senior Management Institute for Police, and the Department of Homeland Security & Naval Post Graduate School’s Homeland Security Executive Leaders Program. Next month he will complete the FBI’s Leaders in Counter Terrorism program. Chief Jacocks has been an active member of the City’s Leadership Team, a past Chairman of the Safe Community Team, and an advocate for racial and cultural inclusionsand sensitivity training. He served on the Chesapeake Bay Alcohol Safety Action Program Policy Board, is a member of the Board of Directors of the Sugar Plum Bakery, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides job skill training to developmentally disabled individuals, and was a charter member of the Virginia National Defense Industrial Authority, serving for two years. Governor Timothy Kaine appointed Chief Jacocks as a Military Aide de Camp in 2006. Chief Jacocks is a past member of the Executive Board of Lead Hampton Roads, and recipient of the group’s Julian F. Hurst Leadership Award. In 2006, Chief Jacocks wasnamed the Virginia Crime Prevention Association’s Law Enforcement Executive of the Year for superior leadership in advancing the principals of crime prevention. He was recognized with the first Executive Award ever presented by the association. Over the course of the last three and half decades, Chief Jacocks has distinguished himself within his profession, his city and his community. His leadership style, commitment to selfless service, and innovative and forward thinking will be missed. “We thank him for his commitment to duty and selfless service to the men and women of the Virginia Beach Police Department and citizens of our community,” Spore said. RELATED COVERAGE:
Virginia Beach police Chief Jacocks to retire in June (The Virginian-Pilot) Jacocks to ride into the sunset (The Virginian-Pilot)

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