A Lynchburg law enforcement professional will join the ranks of the Harrisonburg Police Department as its next police chief starting next week.
Joe Tucker, who previously served as the East Division lieutenant and crisis negotiation commander for the Lynchburg Police Department, was introduced as the new police chief at a press conference earlier today.
He will start in his new role on Monday.
Tucker is an advocate for community policing and worked with Lynchburg residents to better understand their needs, eventually being part of a group that launched a violent crime response team.
Harrisonburg City Manager Ande Banks said Tucker stood out “as a leader” and is convinced he is the right choice for the city and for the HPD.
“We had an incredibly competitive pool of candidates who wanted to bring their vision and experience to Harrisonburg and lead this organization forward – and time and again, whether it was in multiple interview panels or one-on-one conversations, Joe constantly stood out as a person who would continually be visible and engaged, who would unflinchingly advocate for the needs of his department and our community, and who desired to lift this department up not only in his first month or his first year but for many years to come,” Banks said.
Tucker said he plans to “listen, observe and be present” during his first few months on the job.
“I want to be respectful of the organization’s culture and focus on ways to professionally develop and grow the people who are part of this department,” Tucker said.
“And I want to focus on continued, impactful community engagement – not just one-offs – where we have a relationship with our community in which we can have honest, tough conversations and hold each other accountable in making Harrisonburg a better place for all.”
Tucker was named the Lynchburg Police Department officer of the year in 2020, the veteran of foreign affairs officer of the year in 2024 and was honored with the Lynchburg meritorious service medal. He was also named to the International Association of Chiefs of Police Top 40 Under 40 list.
He’s on the record saying that he values diversity. At the time of his hire in Lynchburg, despite a 30 percent Black population, only eight percent of law enforcement personnel were Black.
“I think it’s important. People want somebody they can relate to, someone they can identify with, somebody who they think understands them as a person,” he told WSET in a 2016 interview.
Harrisonburg has a large minority population, with White residents making up only 66 percent of its residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Tucker has been in public service since he was 16 years old and is looking forward to a new challenge in Harrisonburg.
“The fact that every day is something new and different excites me, and the fact that you can have a significant impact in your community in law enforcement inspires me.”
Former Harrisonburg Police Chief Kelley Warner stepped down in June 2024 to take a position in Solebury Township, Pa.
Rod Pollard, the deputy chief of support services, held the interim chief position since Warner’s departure.
The open police chief position was posted on Oct. 10, 2025.
Related stories
- Staunton: Resident asks City Council to take a stance on immigration enforcement
- Harrisonburg: City finally posts police chief job, hire likely in early 2026
- Staunton | Are police, ICE using Flock license plate cameras to spy on you?
- Harrisonburg Police Chief Kelley Warner leaving city for police chief job in Pa.