Salem City Manager Chris Dorsey announced last week that he would appoint Derek Weeks to the position of chief of police for the city of Salem. The move took effect on July 1, one month after Weeks was named as interim chief on June 1.
“I am confident that Chief Weeks has the experience and vision needed to lead the Police Department moving forward,” said Dorsey. “Derek knows this city. He’s well aware of its’ character and unique challenges and also what is needed to keep building on the success of the department. Salem’s police force has a strong tradition of providing exemplary service to our city every day and Derek has helped shape that through his years of service.”
Weeks becomes the ninth chief of police in the Salem Police Department’s history. He began his law enforcement career serving four years with the Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office before joining the Salem Police Department in 2001 as a Patrol Officer. In 2006, he transferred to Salem’s Detective Division and was elected Salem’s Officer of The Year by his peers in 2007.
In 2009, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and served in that capacity in the Patrol, Services and Forensics Divisions. During that period, Weeks graduated from the 81st Session of the Virginia Forensic Science Academy. In 2015, Weeks was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and was appointed as Salem’s deputy chief by then Chief Michael Crawley in February 2016.
“Serving this department and this community is what I strive to do every single day,” Weeks said. “I plan to continue to build on the foundation started by those administrators who mentored me. Our department will continue to provide Salem’s citizens and visitors with outstanding police services.”
Chief Weeks, 49, graduated from Glenvar High School in 1992 and from Radford University in 1996. In 2022, he also graduated from the prestigious FBI National Academy in Quantico in the 284th class. He resides in Salem with his wife and family.
-The Salem Times-Register