Summer 2026 VACP Law Enforcement Executive Certifications Awarded

LINK TO GALLERY


The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundation (VACP) today recognized twenty-four Virginia law enforcement executives with the designation of VACP Certified Law Enforcement Executive (VCLEE). We also re-certified twenty-eight Certified Chief & Command Executive Officers.
 
The VACP strives to promote the professional development and highest standards of executive and management level personnel of law enforcement agencies throughout Virginia. With that mission in mind, the VACP Law Enforcement Executive Certification Program encourages police executives to attain and maintain established benchmarks of accomplishment to achieve a recommended standard for police leadership within the state of Virginia. 

Participation in the Certification Program is completely voluntary. Those who choose to seek VACP Law Enforcement Executive Certification do so to demonstrate to peers, supervisors, and their community that they have put in the extra effort to develop themselves not only as an experienced law enforcement professional, but also as a leader in their agency and in their community. Since February 2023, we've awarded 52 Chief Executive Certifications and 105 Command Executive Certifications.

There are two levels of law enforcement executive certification available for Virginia public safety leaders:  

• Certified Chief Executive Officer – for the currently-appointed chief or commanding officer of a Virginia law enforcement agency.
• Certified Command Executive Officer  – for a law enforcement command officer who serves in an executive or upper management position; or, for chiefs who do not meet the basic eligibility requirements for Certified Chief Executive.

Applicants must meet ALL eligibility requirements in the program for initial certification, which includes1 year of tenure in their eligible position, formal educational requirements, professional development training, and service on boards and committees. Certification is for 3 years, and participants must meet specific requirements during those 3 years in order to remain active in the program and re-certify. 
 
Congratulations to the following law enforcement executives for achieving their certifications!
 

VACP Certified Law Enforcement Chief Executive Officers:

Certified August 2026
Colonel Frank Carpenter, VCLEE-CEO (Chesterfield County PD)*
Chief Todd Coxe, VCLEE-CEO (VA Peninsula Comm. College PD)
Chief Jim Moore, VCLEE-CEO (Bedford PD)
Chief Steven Pihonak, VCLEE-CEO (Herndon PD)*

Re-Certified June 2026
Chief Mark Jamison, VCLEE-CEO (James City Co. PD)
Chief Doug Keen, VCLEE-CEO (Manassas City PD)
Chief Andy Penn, VCLEE-CEO (Arlington Co. PD)
Chief Eric Plummer, VCLEE-CEO (Radford Univ. PD)
Chief Jim Williams, VCLEE-CEO (Staunton PD)

Re-Certified August 2026
Chief Mac Babb, VCLEE-CEO (Virginia Tech PD)
Chief David Bragg, VCLEE-CEO (Virginia State Univ. PD)
Chief Travis Christian, VCLEE-CEO (Petersburg Bureau of Police)
Chief John Clair, VCLEE-CEO (Blacksburg PD)
Chief Thomas Travis, VCLEE-CEO (Richard Bland College PD)

VACP Certified Law Enforcement Command Executive Officers:

Certified August 2026
Captain Andrew Ashby, VCLEE-CO (Roanoke PD)
Captain Michael Breeden, VCLEE-CO (Chesterfield County PD)
Lt. Colonel Emanuel Chambliss, VCLEE-CO (Petersburg PD)
Deputy Chief Brian Carlsen, VCLEE-CO (Williamsburg PD)
Lt. Kale Craver, VCLEE-CO (Blacksburg PD)
Chief Ryan Durham, VCLEE-CO (South Hill PD)
Lt. Colonel Norman E. Gray, Sr., VCLEE-CO (Virginia State Police)
Captain Sarah Grim, VCLEE-CO (Pulaski PD)
Major Mark Haynes, VCLEE-CO (Chesterfield County PD)
Major Michael Louth, VCLEE-CO (Chesterfield County PD)
Major Richard P. McCullough, Jr., VCLEE-CO (Chesterfield County PD)
Major Timothy Moore, VCLEE-CO (Metro Washington Airports Authority PD)
Captain Jessica Moye, VCLEE-CO (Blacksburg PD)
Chief Les Parsons, VCLEE-CO (Colonial Beach PD)
Captain Benjamin Peters, VCLEE-CO (Martinsville PD)
Deputy Chief Adam Puckett, VCLEE-CO (Roanoke PD)
Major Andrea Riesmeyer, VCLEE-CO (Chesterfield County PD)
Lt. James Rust, VCLEE-CO (Manassas City PD)
Major Jay Thornton, VCLEE-CO (Chesterfield County PD)
Lt. Craig VanClief, VCLEE-CO (Hampton Univ. PD)

Re-Certified June 2026
Captain Charles Findley, VCLEE-CO (Herndon PD)
Asst. Chief Mike Parmelee, VCLEE-CO (Pulaski PD)
Chief Chad Rhoads, VCLEE-CO (Martinsville PD)
Chief Dan Riddle, VCLEE-CO (Windsor PD)

Re-Certified August 2026
Captain Chris Baker, VCLEE-CO (Woodstock PD)
Major Eric Beatty, VCLEE-CO (Univ. of Richmond PD)
Captain Brian Brown, VCLEE-CO (Staunton PD)
Major Jesse Epperson, VCLEE-CO (Suffolk PD)
Chief of Investigations Katrina Goodman, VCLEE-CO (OSIG)
Deputy Chief William Hogan, VCLEE-CO (Farmville PD)
Lt. Colonel Tim Jones, VCLEE-CO (Danville PD)
Major Marie Kemp, VCLEE-CO (Ashland PD)
Captain Michael Mansdoerfer, VCLEE-CO (Radford City PD)
Lt. Colonel Na’Shayla Nelson, VCLEE-CO (Portsmouth PD)
Captain Scott Shaffer, VCLEE-CO (Radford Univ. PD)
Deputy Chief Wayne Vincent, VCLEE-CO (Arlington Co. PD)
Asst. Chief Kelly Waddell, VCLEE-CO (Poquoson PD)
Asst. Chief David Whitley, VCLEE-CO (Danville PD)

The VACP Law Enforcement Executive Certification Program is open for applications. For more information, see www.vachiefs.org/certification or contact Erin Schrad, VACP Director of Operations & Communications, at erin@vachiefs.org.