VA HR259

Colonel Matthew D. Hanley retired as the 14th superintendent of the Virginia State Police after 32 years of law enforcement service, having been appointed superintendent on February 26, 2025

Under his leadership, drug trafficking operations seized $650 million worth of narcotics including $7.1 million in fentanyl, and 1,241 illegal firearms were confiscated from criminal actors

Traffic fatalities in Virginia fell to a nine-year low during his tenure, and he created a new Homeland Security Division to address terrorism, human trafficking, cyber security, and critical infrastructure threats

Recruitment programs were overhauled resulting in a 54.8 percent increase in trooper applications, with the 144th Basic Trooper Session becoming the largest class since 2018 with 99 new troopers

He secured approval for an $8.6 million, 184,000-square-foot training academy and implemented employee health initiatives with emphasis on mental health, salary studies, and retention incentives