As Chief of Police and a public servant in Albemarle County for nearly 25 years, I want to speak directly to the concerns raised in our community about an officer’s presence at two of our elementary schools.

Let me begin with the facts: there is no new program, no hidden agenda, and no safety threat. What occurred was a brief, informal visit by an ACPD officer to the schools in their patrol area to introduce themselves to school leadership, and, at the request of one of the schools, attending a school assembly on their day off. This is part of ACPD’s long-standing geo-policing model that has been in place since 2012. These visits are not enforcement actions. They are about building trust, familiarity, and connection with the communities we serve.

Even before geo-policing, when I was a young patrol officer, I would visit schools as part of basic community policing. I was invited to read to students, meet with staff, and respond to emergencies when needed. Later, I had the privilege of supervising our School Resource Officer program, where officers taught driver safety, played pickup games of basketball with kids, hosted summer camps, and served as mentors and trusted figures in our schools. These are caring acts of public service carried out by our department.

I stand by our officers who, every day, answer the call to serve and protect-often at great personal risk. I expect our officers to be present, to be human, and to build bridges in our community. I would like to thank our community members for their continued support of our officers as they conduct positive and visible engagement across the county.

We will continue working closely with Albemarle County Public Schools to ensure our presence in schools is transparent, respectful, and aligned with shared values. Our mission remains unchanged: 

The mission of the Albemarle County Police Department is to provide for the safety and security of all people, while protecting individual rights and building trust in our diverse communities through quality service.

~Colonel Sean Reeves