Bill Text: VA SR676 | 2022 | 1st Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Commending Kelvin L. Wright.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)
Status: (Passed) 2022-09-07 - Bill text as passed Senate (SR676ER) [SR676 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2022-SR676-Introduced.html
WHEREAS, Kelvin L. Wright, a distinguished law-enforcement officer who has served as chief of the Chesapeake Police Department for the last 14 years, retired on August 1, 2022; and
WHEREAS, Kelvin Wright joined the Chesapeake Police Department in 1982 as a patrolman and later served as a field training officer, traffic enforcement officer, and instructor in various capacities; and
WHEREAS, Kelvin Wright earned a promotion to the rank of sergeant in 1992, which led to his positions as patrol supervisor, special investigations section supervisor, and emergency dispatch center supervisor; and
WHEREAS, attaining the rank of lieutenant in 1996, Kelvin Wright took the helm of the Second Precinct as its executive officer and proved instrumental to the development and implementation of the Chesapeake Police Department's pilot community policing program in the South Norfolk section of the city; and
WHEREAS, elevated to the rank of captain in 1998, Kelvin Wright fulfilled the duties of several leadership positions, including commander of the Records and Support Section, commander of the Second Precinct, and first commander of the newly opened Fifth Precinct; and
WHEREAS, Kelvin Wright was key to advancing the efforts of the Chesapeake Police Department by revising its districting and manpower plan and by organizing and partnering with citizen groups and civic leagues to address community concerns and enact strategies to reduce crime; and
WHEREAS, appointed to the rank of major in 2003, Kelvin Wright commanded the Professional Standards Bureau, where his responsibilities included leading, directing, and overseeing myriad aspects of the Chesapeake Police Department's operations; and
WHEREAS, Kelvin Wright became chief of the Chesapeake Police Department at the rank of colonel on April 1, 2008, taking the reins of a growing, modern police force that today staffs more than 525 officers and civilian personnel and serves more than 242,000 citizens; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure as chief of police, Kelvin Wright created and carried out a department-wide crime reduction strategy that has significantly reduced crime in the City of Chesapeake, bolstering its reputation as one of the safest cities in the nation; and
WHEREAS, in preparation for his law-enforcement career, Kelvin Wright acquired an associate's degree in criminal justice from Tidewater Community College, a bachelor's degree in sociology from Saint Leo University, and a master's degree in public administration from Troy University and completed coursework for a doctorate in public administration with an emphasis on urban policy from Old Dominion University; and
WHEREAS, Kelvin Wright has supported the law-enforcement profession as first vice president of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and the regional chair of the Midsize Agencies Division of the International Association of Chiefs of Police while also teaching classes on various subjects related to policing and criminology at Tidewater Community College; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of his service to the community, Kelvin Wright has received numerous honors and accolades over his career, including the City of Chesapeake's Star Performer Award and City Manager's Award and the Chesapeake Police Department's Meritorious Police Service Award; and
WHEREAS, Kelvin Wright has led the Chesapeake Police Department with great wisdom and integrity, earning the respect of his fellow officers and citizens while making Chesapeake a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That Kelvin L. Wright, chief of the Chesapeake Police Department, hereby be commended on the occasion of his retirement; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Kelvin L. Wright as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's admiration for his service and best wishes for a happy and fulfilling retirement.
