Virginia public-safety secretary says recruitment, retention will be top priority

Stanley Meador, the newly sworn secretary of public safety and homeland security, told a Virginia House subcommittee that recruitment and retention across public-safety agencies is one of his primary priorities.

Meador, introduced to the panel by Chair Delegate David Reed, described a career that included Roanoke College, work at the Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority and a 23-year FBI career that included serving as a first responder to the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. "One of those in particular that I've seen is recruitment retention," Meador said, adding that he will meet with agency leadership to assess what is working and where focus is needed.

Meador said he is in "listening mode" as he gathers input from newly appointed leadership teams and emphasized the importance of ensuring citizens "get the best service from us and feel safe." He described plans for follow-up meetings with agency leaders and offered to work with members of the subcommittee on specific solutions.

Members pressed Meador for details on the scope of the problem and possible remedies; Meador said he has not completed an assessment yet and that his immediate next step is to conduct meetings with agency leadership and report findings. The chair and several members invited one-on-one conversations to provide local context.

The session did not include formal votes. Meador's visit served as an introductory briefing; he committed to return with more detailed recommendations after internal assessments and consultations with agency leadership.