Virginia Beach property was a small area between the Rudee Inlet Bridge on the south end, and Forty Seventh Street on the north end, west from the Atlantic Ocean to Park Avenue. The town of Virginia Beach was incorporated in 1906.
The police force in the early 60's consisted of a very few officers, supervisors and Chief Reeves Johnson. The larger area from the oceanfront to the Norfolk line and from the Chesapeake Bay to the North Carolina line was call Princess Anne County. Chief James Edward Moore (JimEd) was the head of this larger police force.
Virginia Beach proper and Princess Anne County merged in 1963 to form the city as we know it today. Chief James Edward Moore (JimEd) was the first chief to lead this newly formed police department. It was manned by only forty some officers, who were responsible for the 310 square miles of land that exist now, but the population was significantly smaller. Chief Moore retired in 1969 and then Captain W.W. Davis was appointed as the new chief. He was noted for being stern, but fair. He soon changed the title of chief and began his reign as Colonel Davis in 1969.
In 1981, Colonel Davis and Deputy Chief Charles R. Wall were jointly running the police department. Officially in January 1982, Charles R. Wall became the Chief of Police. Chief Wall served as Police Chief until his retirement on August 1, 1999.
On August 1, 1999, Deputy Chief A.M. Jacocks, Jr. was appointed Acting Chief. On March 15, 2000, Acting Chief A.M. Jacocks, Jr. was appointed Police Chief. On July 1, 2010, Chief A. M. Jacocks retired.
Deputy Chief J. A. Cervera served as Interim Chief of Police until September 1, 2010 when he was appointed as Chief of Police.
In 1975, the old style of grey and white police cars with red lights were replaced by the all white vehicles we use today. The two-tone, blue grey uniforms with black stripes on the pants were replaced in 1992 with the traditional all navy blue uniforms worn today.