The City of Harrisonburg should have a new police chief in place in early 2026, approximately 19 months after Kelley Warner resigned in 2024.
The opening for the job was posted on Oct. 10. The first review of candidates will begin Nov. 12.
The city is expected to make its choice in early 2026.
Rod Pollard, the deputy chief of support services, has held the interim chief position since mid-June 2024.
Before the city reviews candidates for the job, the public is asked to weigh in on what is most important to them for the new chief. An online survey will be open until Nov. 12.
The survey allows participants to weigh in on the most important issues facing the city, how to build trust between the community and department and provide advice for the future chief.
“HPD’s chief of police is not only an important position on our team but should be someone who is committed to becoming a leader in our community, someone who is invested in improving the future of The Friendly City,” said Ande Banks, Harrisonburg City Manager. “We are grateful for our community members who will help make sure this police chief search is a success, and we are excited to identify the person who will help our department continue to move forward.”
ICYMI
- Harrisonburg | Police officers to team up with mental-health professional for crisis calls
- 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.
- Albemarle County | HART team delivers alternative to jail, ER for those in crisis
- Harrisonburg: A mental health crisis is among top five emergency calls to police
Harrisonburg Police Department staff members participated in 10 listening sessions and two surveys, and information was used to create a recruitment brochure.
The HPD chief will lead a team of approximately 144 full-time staff members and a department with a $17.7 million budget in the current fiscal year.
The salary ranges from $115,000 to $144,000, according to the job listing.
Timeline
- June 2024: Police chief resigns
- Oct. 10, 2025: Job posted online
- Nov. 12, 2025: First review of candidates; public survey closes
- December 2025: Interviews
- Early 2026: Choice announced
More information on the position is available at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/harrisonburg.
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Crystal Graham
