City Manager Noah A. Simon recently announced the appointment of Samuel Roman Jr. as the next Police Chief for the City of Lexington. Mr. Roman will begin as Chief within the next 30 days. Roman replaces Mark Riley who has served as Interim Police Chief since May 6, 2016.
The appointment of Roman follows an extensive recruitment process lead by the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police (VACP). The process included screenings and assessments by the VACP and multiple interview panels. “We took great care in examining the applicant pool, and worked closely with City Manager Simon to carry out a comprehensive and inclusive professional selection process,” said VACP Executive Director Dana Schrad. “In the end, the hard work paid off, and we are excited that Sam Roman is a perfect fit for the City of Lexington and for the Police Department.”
Roman joins the Lexington Police Department with 25 years in Virginia law enforcement rising through the ranks of the Roanoke Police Department, most recently as the Deputy Chief. Roman’s training includes the Command College (University of Virginia); the Professional Executive Leadership School (University of Richmond); Leadership Collaboration in Government (Harvard University); Lean Management for Executives (Virginia Polytechnic Institute); the Executive Command Leadership program; and the FBI National Academy.
City Manager Simon said, “Chief Roman brings the perfect balance of community engagement, leadership and training and development of police officers to the Lexington Police Department and has the ability take the Police Department to the next level of law enforcement and public service. Chief Roman will be able to build upon the many internal and external successes of Interim Chief Riley and Chief Thomas. Chief Roman will be able to strengthen community and institutional relationships while emphasizing the importance of community policing and effectively train and prepare the department for the future public safety challenges.” Simon added that “Chief Roman had the personality and experience that I was looking for in a Chief – he connects immediately with people, listens, cultivates positives relationships, and understands the intricate issues associated with modern law enforcement.”
Chief Roman is a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. In 1992, after serving in the United States Marine Corps in Quantico, he relocated to Roanoke, where he began his career in public service with the Roanoke Police Department. Roman has a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice and he is a member of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Roman has been married to his wife Sonya for the past 23 years. They have two children, Shaquan and Shaniqua.
