Statement of Retiring Virginia State Police Superintendent Colonel Matthew D. Hanley

RICHMOND – After 32 years of service in law enforcement, Colonel Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, has issued the following statement, regarding his retirement: “It has been an honor to serve this great Commonwealth as a longstanding member of the Virginia State Police. I am proud of the incredible work the agency has accomplished and am grateful for the commitment that our sworn and professional staff provide daily.  Virginia is in a better place today because of their dedication and I will greatly miss serving alongside them.”
 
Governor-Elect Abigail Spanberger announced Monday, January 5, 2026, the appointment of former Chesterfield Police Chief Jeffrey Katz as VSP’s new Superintendent effective January 17, 2026.
 
Biography
 
Colonel Matthew Hanley has been a member of the Virginia State Police (VSP) since 1993. He was named Interim Superintendent on November 5, 2024, then appointed Superintendent on February 26, 2025, by the 74th Governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin. As the head of the largest police department in the Commonwealth of Virginia, he leads a diverse staff of over 3,000 sworn and professional personnel and is responsible for developing and implementing statewide law enforcement strategies for approximately 8.8 million people across 95 counties and 38 independent cities. He was the 14th Superintendent to lead VSP.
 
Colonel Hanley’s prior positions within the Virginia State Police include Director of the Bureau of Field Operations, Director of the Office of Performance Management and Internal Controls, Training Officer, Assistant Division Commander, Area Commander, Sergeant, and Trooper.
 
He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs Police, the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, and serves on the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice – Criminal Justice Services Board, the Virginia Forensic Science Board, and the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA Executive Board. He also serves on the Board of Advisors for the Virginia Public Safety Innovation Center, the University of Virginia’s Center for Public Safety and Justice, and the Board of Directors for Drive Smart Virginia.
 
Colonel Hanley has a master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School (Center for Homeland Defense and Security), a bachelor’s degree from Norwich University, and is a graduate of the University of Virginia’s National Criminal Justice Command College and the FBI National Executive Institute. 
 
Upon assuming command, Colonel Hanley led VSP through a historic period of growth and modernization, guided by his vision of making VSP the best agency to work for in the Commonwealth and achieving next-level excellence.  Under his leadership, the Department embarked on an all-hands effort to recruit new troopers, culminating in the hiring of one of the largest basic schools in the Department's history, and bringing critical reinforcements to sworn ranks that have been strained under high vacancies for many years.  He also boldly moved to close the pay gap between dispatchers at VSP and local agencies, which had resulted in a 33.7% vacancy rate among the Department’s public safety telecommunicators.  Through his direction and guidance, this vacancy rate fell to just 12%.  Similarly, over the past year, the Department's civilian vacancy rate fell to historic lows.
 
Colonel Hanley also made important strides toward next-level excellence.  He restructured VSP’s intelligence program to strengthen statewide detection, analysis, and early warning with respect to public safety threats.  He also embarked on a multi-year initiative to modernize VSP's information technology systems and bring robust data analytics and governance to VSP.  Though still in its early phases, this effort has already paid dividends, as VSP was recently recognized by the Office of Data Governance and Analytics with a second-place award, among large agencies, for its data governance maturity. Colonel Hanley's vision for next-level excellence was also recognized nationally, when the International Association of Chiefs of Police featured VSP's "Innovation, Leadership, and Public Safety Excellence" at their 2025 national conference in Denver.
 
Under Colonel Hanley's steady command, traffic fatalities in the Commonwealth fell to a nine-year low, VSP preserved the right to free expression while protecting the public at dozens of large-scale events, and troopers surged resources towards Virginians in need during dangerous weather events.  Criminal trafficking of illicit drugs was zealously targeted through drug enforcement operations, resulting in the seizure of almost $650 million worth of narcotics, $7.1 million of which was fentanyl.  These efforts directly contributed to the continued decline in fatal opioid overdoses statewide.  Additionally, under Colonel Hanley’s leadership, VSP aggressively targeted crime-ridden areas and violent offenders, resulting in the seizure of 1,241 illegally possessed firearms from criminal actors.
 
Colonel Hanley’s tenure has been defined by transformational leadership, operational excellence, and an unwavering commitment to the people of the Commonwealth. Through strategic investments in personnel, technology, and intelligence, he strengthened VSP’s capacity to meet today’s public safety challenges while positioning the Department for long-term success. His legacy is a more resilient, modern, and mission-ready agency that stands as a model of excellence at both the state and national levels.
 
“The leadership of Colonel Hanley is remarkable. I asked him to step into a role that he was incredibly qualified to do; and I challenged him to bring change…to bring growth…to reinvigorate…to do things that hadn’t been done,” Governor Youngkin told the 144th Basic Session during a visit to VSP on January 12th. “Colonel Hanley [has] done an exceptional job, and I am deeply, deeply grateful for his service to the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
 
Colonel Hanley is committed to helping Mr. Katz transition into his new role and ensuring the extraordinary work by VSP employees continues.
 
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Contact:

Matthew Demlein
Public Relations Coordinator
Virginia State Police
Cell: (804) 839-1508
Email: Matthew.Demlein@vsp.virginia.gov