John F. Keohane

Chief (Ret.) John Keohane was appointed in 2022 by Governor Glenn Youngkin to serve a 5-year term as Chair of the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority’s Board of Directors. Keohane has 40 years of police experience and currently serves as a part-time Deputy with the Powhatan County Sheriff’s Office. He retired from full-time law enforcement in September 2018 as the Chief of the City of Hopewell Police Department, a position he held for eight years. Prior to becoming Chief, he served in the Richmond Police Department for 28 years and retired as a Major.

In November 2024, Keohane started working part-time for the VACP as the Highway Safety Project Manager. In this role, he is helping to shepherd the association’s grant initiatives with the Virginia Highway Safety Office at DMV. He has previously served as a consultant for the VACP, assisting localities with the selection of police executives, conducting background investigations, conducting agency audits, and assisting with policy analysis and development.

Keohane holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from Virginia Commonwealth University and is a graduate of the Senior Management Institute of Police.