Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Police Leadership topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chief Drew urges new supervisors to 'invest in people' at promotion ceremony
Summary
Chief Steve Drew told newly promoted Newport News supervisors to prioritize field leadership, mentorship and community engagement, and previewed upcoming academy classes and a midyear crime report.
Chief Steve Drew, introduced at the start of the ceremony, framed the promotions as more than rank: he said new supervisors will carry added accountability and must prioritize leadership in the field.
"We can't police the same way we did in 1985," Drew said, adding that departments that do not evolve "get left behind." He emphasized the human element of policing and said investing time with officers and the community produces better investigations and follow-up.
Drew described the department's recruitment pipeline and training calendar, saying two academy classes will graduate later in the year and help fill vacancies. He also said a midyear crime report would soon be released and that leadership decisions factor into the department's recent trends.
"If anything, I can leave with you is invest in people," he said, urging supervisors to meet officers one-on-one and to lead from scenes rather than from behind a desk.
