CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Retiring Albemarle County Police Chief Sean Reeves would like to see his successor be an internal selection, the 25-year ACPD veteran told Cville Right Now during an exclusive interview last week.

After Reeves was honored at the Board of Supervisors meeting with a resolution of appreciation, he sat down with Cville Right Now for to reflect on his career, his tenure with ACPD, his accomplishments during four-and-half years as chief, and share his thoughts on what the county should look for in his successor.

“I would hope that it would be an internal candidate from within our police department given the fact that they know our culture, they know the culture of the community, they know the expectations of the Board of Supervisors,” Reeves said.

The Chief’s relationship with the Board of Supervisors was highlighted by Scottsville Supervisor Mike Pruitt’s comments honoring Reeves during the Wednesday meeting.

“Police and elected officials are often at loggerheads in a lot of jurisdictions and especially true, to put the tiger on the table, in jurisdictions that are led by Democrats during the last several years,” Pruitt said. “And that, at least during my service on the board, has not been the case.”

Chief Reeves listed that as his top wish, and his second is the continued collaboration with the Charlottesville and University of Virginia police departments.

“I’m proud of the collaboration with my two fellow chiefs in Chief Tim Longo at the University of Virginia as well as Chief Micheal Kochis with the Charlottesville city,” Reeves said. “As you’re well aware, since Chief Kochis came on board, the three of us have really come together and connected stronger than our police departments have in a long, long time.

“Through making sure that our officers, our detectives, our commanders are working together and we are there for one another in times of need, and oftentimes without second-guessing or asking too many questions,” said Reeves. “All three of us can pick up the phone and say ‘hey, we need help’, and we’re there for each other, and not just in an official capacity but in an unofficial capacity.”

Reeves said he will miss that collaboration and hopes the next chief continues those relationships.

Reeves announced in a county release, and social media post, August 5 that he will retire effective October 5.

He has been on medical leave since May 8 and declined to share any specifics, though he said he’s doing well.

“It’s important for me to ensure that the community know their police department is in good hands, and by that I mean I have a fantastic command team,” Reeves said. “Maj. (Randy) Jamerson and Maj. (Camille) Stewart, who are the two deputy chiefs of police who’ve really carried the torch during this time I’ve been out on leave. I have no doubt that moving into the future the two of them will continue to do a fantastic job not only leading the Albemarle police department, but safeguarding our community, as well.”

As it stands now, he’s not sure what he’s going to do in his next life chapter and he only briefly touched on it saying, “That’s the exciting thing is I don’t know what I don’t know.”

“Prior to the Albemarle County Police Department, I was a military police officer in the United States Army, I was at the police academy when the tragedy of September 11, 2001 happened, and a short time after that I was actually called back into active duty status and deployed for a year to support Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, and Albemarle County held my job back then in 2002 and 2003 and when I came back to work, I was grateful to have a job and grateful to be a police officer and do something that I loved.”

It’s not exactly a path he had planned out, but said he’s been blessed with being with Albemarle PD for nearly half its existence.

“I got to do and see so many amazing aspects of law enforcement and I think all that put me in a position to be the first internally promoted Chief of Police, who worked their way up from patrol officer all the way up to Chief of Police, and that was a great honor which I think the Albemarle County Police Department will continue to do,” said Reeves. “We have some very, very talented people within the department how grew up in this community, who served this community, who know this community, know the people of this community, and would do a fantastic job.”

Reeves point to the work the department has done regarding mental health as one of his proudest accomplishments.

“What other medical issue can you think of that when you pick up the phone and call 9-1-1, that you get a police officer instead of a medical professional?” Reeves said.

Reeves also said he’s proud of the body-worn cameras program on officers, and fostering community connections with the NAACP and Sin Barreras in efforts to make sure “people don’t live in fear of the police department.”

Reeves said, looking back, he wish he had been more effective at advocating for the department.

“During my time, there’s only so much that one person can do, but continue to be a better advocate for the police officers, for higher pay and better benefits,” Reeves said. “With the help of the Board of Supervisors and Mr. (County Executive Jeff) Richardson, if you look at what our officers were making four-and-a-half years ago, with the public safety pay scale funding we’ve increased their starting salary, their incentive to come to work here not just for brand new officers but for veteran officers.”

Reeves also cautioned his successor and the department to be cautious and judicious regarding “the advance of technology.” While he lauded the addition of speed zone cameras in school zones and the use of drones, he said he’s been very aware there is a level of public mistrust when it comes to other policing technology.

“The next Chief of Police is going to have to be very savvy when it comes to recognizing community expectations with how AI can be an actual tool for making our jobs easier, safer, and better but without intruding on the expectations of citizens,” he said.

Reeves said that as immigration enforcement becomes a bigger and bigger issue, it’s important for the next chief to understand the roles of local police, state law enforcement and federal agents.

“There are some bright-line differences in those,” he said. “Our community is aware of those differences, and I think our community in Albemarle has a special connection with law enforcement, I think they’re very supportive of local law enforcement and it’s important we maintain that trust with our community.”