Brendan Carroll, Salem’s 2025 Police Officer of the Year, is a homegrown product who was raised in a law and-order family and rarely missed an episode of the TV show Cops.
“Growing up, I thought it was the coolest thing in the world that my dad was in law enforcement,” he said. “Plus, my grandfather and I used to always watch Cops together on Friday nights and I remember thinking that job looked like it was so much fun.”
Carroll is now a Salem Senior Police Officer assigned to the detective division and his actions in the early morning hours of September 28, 2025, earned him the latest edition of this coveted honor.
“I had just pulled over a driver and stepped out of my patrol vehicle when I heard the radio traffic,” he said. “I immediately went back, checked my computer, and took off. When I pulled up at the location, I was the first one on the scene and I could see the front door glass was shattered.”
Carroll was just completing his regular shift around 2 a.m. when he heard the 911 call related to a burglary and break-in in the 1100 block of West Main. After assessing the outside of the building, he immediately touched base with dispatch and utilized some technology that didn’t exist on those old episodes of Cops.
“The dispatchers had the business owners on the phone, and they were actually watching the individuals inside the store on their surveillance cameras through their phone app,” he said. “They were able to confirm that they were no longer inside and knowing that information was very helpful.”
As soon as Carroll and dispatch had confirmation that the perpetrators had vacated the site of the break-in, he and his fellow officers began canvassing West Main Street and the adjacent area neighborhoods. They eventually spotted the suspects in the 1800 block of West Main.
“Once I put my car in drive, I saw the suspects take off running and we followed them to the back of a store,” he said. “I remember they high fived each other like they had gotten away with it, but then one of them saw my lights and he took off running again.”
But there is no way a bad guy is outrunning a former First Team All-River Ridge District baseball performer, who also snagged 60 fly balls for putouts in his career while roaming the outfield in college.
“I do love that foot chase part, for sure,” Carroll said. “The guy ended up getting inside the store, but I was able to catch him and take him into custody.”
Two suspects were apprehended during that initial pursuit and Detective Carroll’s interviews with those two resulted in the apprehension of the third suspect. In addition, a vehicle associated with the suspects was located at a nearby hotel. Inside the car, in plain sight, officers found items of clothing matching those worn by suspects involved in several vehicle burglaries on the west side of Salem.
“Detective Carroll had just transferred from the patrol division to the detective division two weeks prior to this burglary-in-progress call,” said Salem Police Chief Derek Weeks. “A great deal of initiative and many hours culminated in a successful result of a multi-layered investigation, so he is very deserving of this honor.”
Multiple stolen items from Salem and other jurisdictions, as well as stolen firearms, were recovered after a search warrant was secured. Thanks to Carroll’s rapid response, investigative initiative, and attention to detail, all three suspects were arrested and charged with numerous offenses related to vehicle burglaries and a commercial burglary in Salem. His actions also resulted in the recovery of stolen property, which was successfully returned to the owners.
“Brendan’s unwavering dedication, integrity, and commitment to excellence truly embody the highest standards of our department and our community,” said Salem Deputy Police Chief, Danny Crouse. “As a young officer, Brendan has always exhibited a calm presence, strong ethics, and a dedication that inspires everyone he encounters.”
“People in Salem always thank me for my service and the community is very grateful for all of us, so, in turn, I am very grateful to be here,” Carroll said. “I appreciate this award, and it means a lot that my fellow officers think that much of me. I just view it as another day, even if it was a very long day.”
Carroll graduated from Salem High School in 2016 after matriculating from West Salem Elementary and Andrew Lewis Middle school. While in high school, he excelled on the baseball diamond for Head Coach Wes McMillian as an outfielder.
“My dream was to play college baseball and Carolina University gave me that opportunity,” he said. “Without a doubt that was one of the best experiences of my life, but as my graduation approached, I realized I needed to figure something out because life was about to start really fast.”
Carroll played 74 games and started 40 for the Carolina University Bruins in the NCCAA – National Christian College Athletic Association. He finished his career with an on-base percentage of .333 and a fielding percentage of .913 thanks to his speed between the lines. He graduated in 2021 with a degree in business management, but in his heart, he knew public service was his destiny.
“When I talked to my parents about it, they were not surprised at all that I was leaning towards this career,” he said. “I loved it down in North Carolina, but I had known then-Chief Mike Crawley my entire life, so I was very comfortable talking to him and it just made sense for me to come back here.”
Carroll graduated from college in the spring of 2021 and he was immediately hired by Salem.
“Chief Crawley and Chief Weeks talked to me about the importance of hiring Salem people and they also wanted athletes who understood the team mentality and what it takes to come together quickly and work effectively as a group,” he said.
As an athlete, Carroll was accustomed to hard work and commitment, but his training at the Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy was eye-opening to say the least.
“I have no problem telling you that I didn’t always enjoy the training, and there were days when I wondered what I had gotten myself into,” he said. “But I really do enjoy my work, and I have a lot of fun doing this job. I am very happy with my decision.”
Carroll and his determination will be honored at the Salem-Roanoke County Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards breakfast on March 18.
“Detective Carroll comes from a family of service and it’s exciting to see a young officer progress in his career and stay committed to serving his community,” said Weeks. “To be selected for this honor, by your peers this early in a career, highlights Carroll’s work ethic and reputation within the department.”
