Harrisonburg Police Chief Eric English, who joined the department in 2018, has been selected as the new chief of police for Henrico County, and will leave for his new position in the coming weeks.
Statement from Eric English
Let me begin by stating I have truly enjoyed my time here in this beautiful city of Harrisonburg. I have been presented with an opportunity that I feel I need to pursue, and I know that would not have been possible if I had not experienced my time in this great city.
I want to thank City Manager Eric Campbell for providing me with the opportunity to lead the Harrisonburg Police Department and I will be forever grateful for that chance. This city has been extremely supportive since Day 1 and I really appreciate the welcoming feeling that was bestowed upon me and my wife when we arrived.
To Mayor Reed and members of City Council, I want to say Thank You for your support and decision making in moving this city forward.
To the citizens that I have been proud to serve, you have been great. Your support has been encouraging and you accepted me and my philosophy for our department. The men and women of HPD will continue to need that support.
And last but certainly not least, to the men and women of the HPD organization, you have my gratitude as this opportunity is a reflection of you and your commitment to service. You allowed me to come in and impart my knowledge into the organization and you accepted change to move the department in the right direction. The relationships and partnerships that I have made internally and externally will always be dear to my heart.
This has been a wonderful ride in a beautiful gem of a city, and I will miss my experiences that I have garnered in The Friendly City. I wish peace and prosperity to this city and I will always remember my time here. Thank you everyone!!!!
Statement from Harrisonburg City Manager Eric D. Campbell
It’s with a mixture of sadness and joy that we prepare to say goodbye to Chief Eric English as he heads back home to Henrico County for the next stage of his impressive and impactful career. Chief English has brought so many positive contributions to our city, and in addition to being an outstanding police chief he is a tremendous coworker and friend. His presence will be missed from the hallways of our Public Safety Building, to the meeting room of our Executive Leadership Team, and to the streets of our neighborhoods – where Chief English can so often be found meeting with residents and living a real world example of his belief that community engagement is the best tool a police department has to serve its residents. Though Chief English is stepping away, his impact on the Harrisonburg Police Department will remain through the new generation of officers and leaders he has brought to the force or promoted to positions where they can help institute change for the betterment of the Harrisonburg community. Those residents are at the forefront of every decision made by members of the Harrisonburg Police Department, as Chief English has ensured that community input is the building block for how we move our department forward in a myriad of ways. In the coming weeks, the City will begin a nation-wide search for the next Harrisonburg Police Chief. Our search will be focused on selecting a leader who is dedicated to serving the community, and who understands the needs of our growing and culturally diverse population. We wish Chief English all the best in his return home, and we thank him for all he did to make The Friendly City a friendlier place for us all.
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