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UPDATE:

Suffolk City Manager Al Moor announced in a news release Maj. James “Danny” Buie will serve as interim Chief of Police as the search for a permanent replacement begins.

“IT IS FINISHED! I am please[d] to announce that effective Oct. 1, 2023, I am officially retired from the Suffolk Police Department,” the post reads. “It has been an amazing pleasure of mine to take care of the citizens of this city. This has been in process for a while, and today it is official.”

Chandler went on to highlight a few of his accomplishments while leading the department and noted the announcement is “bittersweet.”

“Some parts bittersweet, but overall, it was an amazing ride,” the post reads. “I had the chance to lead our city through major civil unrest without a single arrest and not $1 of damage in our city. I lead our agency through an officer-involved shooting, the death of a supervisor and friend, and arguably the largest pandemic in our nation’s history. We, as an agency, conducted the largest Indictmwnt sweep in the history of the city. We are changing to a lighter, more comfortable uniform. I introduced cancer awareness badges, and we provided better options for mental health-related issues in our department. I could not have done that without the support of some great officers and citizens.”

Chandler started with the police department on April 16, 1999, and attended the Chesapeake Police Academy’s 40th Session, where he graduated with honors and served as class president. During Chief Chandler’s time with the department, he has held a myriad of specialized certifications such as Field Training Officer, General Instructor, SWAT Operator, Certified Crisis/Hostage Negotiator, and Evidence Technician. Chief Chandler spent the majority of his time in law enforcement, working within the Investigations Division, where he worked in an assortment of positions. Chief Chandler also served as the Special Operations Lieutenant where he led the School Resource Officer Program, Canine Program, Honor Guard, Fatal Crash Reconstruction Team, Marine Patrol, and Search and Rescue Team. Chief Chandler is a veteran of the Virginia Army National Guard, where he served honorably for 7 years with specialties in Field Artillery and Petroleum Supply.

The Suffolk Police Department has not yet announced its plans for Chandler’s successor.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.