Chad Beheler, 39 / Captain Administrative Division, Roanoke County Sheriff’s Office
Captain Chad Beheler began his career in local public service in January 2004 with the Roanoke County Police Department. In 2005, he was called to active duty with his Marine Corp reserve unit, where he served in the Al-Anbar Province of Iraq. After returning from deployment, he served in RCPD patrol for a decade and as a School Resource Officer for two years, earning the honor as the 2014 Special Operations Officer of the Year. He accepted a position as a Deputy Sheriff with the Roanoke County Sheriff’s Office in 2016 and was assigned to their community outreach section. After becoming a Sergeant, he was promoted to Captain in 2022. He coordinates and participates in 90% of agency functions, including RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) classes, situational awareness and self defense, senior safety presentations, public school student engagement events and many more. “I have a passion for educating and protecting our youth and community,” he says. “…I have the ability to impact safety throughout the valley by teaching various self defense classes, and developing and leading our school safety programs in our elementary schools, as well as instructing self awareness to students so they have a base of knowledge to protect themselves.”
As head of the Administrative Division, responsible for the supervision of our Professional Standards Unit division, accreditation, academy, recruitment, community outreach and the SRO division
- Special Operations Officer of the Year RCPD, 2014
- Completed the Hollins Batten Leadership Institute, 2018
- Completed the FBI LEEDA Trilogy, 2018
- VSA Deputy of the Year for the State of Virginia, 2018
- 2021 Graduate, National Jail Leadership Command Academy (NJLCA)
- Volunteers at the RAM House twice a month and delivers food for LOA (Local Office of Aging)
- Was part of the team recognized in 2019 who received the Races for Peace award for community engagement
- Part of the team recognized by the LOA in 2022 that received the Helen I. Phelps Memorial Award
From the Nomination: “Captain Beheler is an integral part of the Community Outreach efforts of the Roanoke County Sheriff’s Office. … Beheler has a work ethic and a dedication to the citizens of the Roanoke Valley like no other. As you can see from the many things listed above, there is not just one thing that sets him apart. Beheler is an exemplary Servant/Leader, who demonstrates unparalleled character. He is the type of man that is a role model in both his personal and professional life. He embodies professionalism, loyalty, respect, duty and honor. Beheler is truly a hero in uniform. … [he] is an amazing example of a Servant Leader with unparalleled dedication to his craft and community.”
What do you love about Roanoke?
Beheler: “Roanoke has been my home most of my adult life. It’s where I met my wife, began a family and still enjoy living in Roanoke today. I enjoy the outdoor activities, events throughout the valley, sense of community and the many opportunities that Roanoke has to offer.”
How does your passion impact our community?
Beheler: “I have a passion for educating and protecting our youth and community. In my current role I have the ability to impact safety throughout the valley by teaching various self defense classes, developing and leading our school safety programs in our elementary schools as well as instructing self awareness to students so they have a base of knowledge to protect themselves.”
