Bill Text: VA SJR129 | 2022 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending Joe Simmons.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2022-02-28 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ129ER) [SJR129 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2022-SJR129-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, Joe Simmons, an experienced and highly dedicated law-enforcement officer, retired as chief of the Bridgewater Police Department in September 2021; and
WHEREAS, after considering becoming a firefighter, Joe Simmons joined the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office in 1989 as a part-time dispatcher; he later began working at the regional jail, then was promoted to road deputy in 1991; and
WHEREAS, Joe Simmons joined the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office SWAT Team in 1996, and the following year, he began working with the RUSH Drug Task Force, a coalition of local, state, and federal law-enforcement agencies addressing crimes related to illegal drugs; and
WHEREAS, Joe Simmons transferred to the Bridgewater Police Department as a patrol officer in 1998 and worked his way up the ranks to become chief of the department in 2011; and
WHEREAS, placing a high emphasis on the importance of community policing, Joe Simmons cultivated strong relationships based on trust and mutual respect between his officers and members of the public; and
WHEREAS, as chief for more than 10 years, Joe Simmons worked diligently to ensure that his officers had the best possible tools and training with which to serve and protect local residents and helped Bridgewater achieve one of the lowest crime rates in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, after his well-earned retirement, Joe Simmons plans to spend more time with family and friends, as well as seek new opportunities to serve the community; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Joe Simmons on the occasion of his retirement as chief of the Bridgewater Police Department; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Joe Simmons as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his contributions to the Bridgewater community.