Deputy Chief Stokes most recently served as the Operations Division Deputy Chief of the Roanoke Police Department overseeing all operational components of the agency, including patrol and investigative units. He served as the Interim Police Chief from July 2023 to November 2023. When joining the Roanoke Police Department Deputy Chief Stokes in February 2023 he was initially assigned at the Services Division Deputy Chief overseeing administrative, budgetary, recruiting, and police academy operations.
Prior to joining the Roanoke City Police Department, Deputy Chief Stokes served as the Chief of the Salisbury Police Department from 2016 until his retirement in 2022. Under his leadership the Department successfully implemented key strategies of Stratified Policing model to enhance department policing efforts, including implementing an Intelligence-Led, Data-Driven, and Problem-Oriented Policing approach as part of implementing a Compstat style policing program. He has steered the department through a collaboration with the US Department of Justice, Public Safety Partnership to develop a violent crime reduction strategy for a community with a per capita UCR Part 1 Crime rate more than 150 times greater than the national and North Carolina rates. This partnership led to an overall crime reduction in the community that was a 20 year low for UCR Part 1 Crime, including violent and gun crime, in just two years. In addition, the agency’s effectiveness was recognized in a published case study by the DOJ. Under a US Department of Justice grant, As Chief, Deputy Chief Stokes led the development of a real time crime center to enhance a regional collaborative crime reduction and intelligence sharing effort. In conjunction with the real time crime center, Deputy Chief Stokes achieved an enhanced relationship with several county law enforcement agencies, including; Sheriff’s Office, two adjoining town departments, two college police/security departments, and county Emergency Management. Deputy Chief Stokes applied a strategy of further developing the department’s diversity, equity, and inclusion coupled with a peer support program and officer wellness initiative intended to make the agency an effective and inclusive workforce. Under his leadership, the Salisbury Police Department was awarded a Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation grant to address crime at the root causes by implementing a community violence intervention strategy in a chronically stressed neighborhood. During his service as Chief he received the Civitan of the Year award from the Salisbury Civitan Club, Salisbury Rowan NAACP Lady Justice Award, and Salisbury Chapter of the Sons of the Revolution citizenship award.
Before being appointed Chief in Salisbury, Deputy Chief Stokes spent 32 years as a police officer with the Lynchburg, Virginia Police Department. He rose through the ranks from recruit to the position of Major (Deputy Chief of Police). During his career with Lynchburg Police Department, Deputy Chief Stokes was assigned to Patrol, Violet Crime Task Force, Narcotics Investigations, Emergency Support Function Manager and Tactical Response Commander. During his service, he was awarded several honors to include, two Meritorious Service Medals, two Honorable Service ribbons, Civic Recognition ribbon, Hazardous Duty ribbon, and Administrative Training ribbon.
Deputy Chief Stokes earned his Master of Public Administration Degree from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. A Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA.
Deputy Chief Stokes has over 3000 hours of training in policing, management and leadership, including attending the Senior Management Institute for Police – Police Executive Research Forum, Session 41, Boston, MA; the Professional Executive Leadership School, University of Richmond, Session 22, Richmond, VA; and the Administrative Officers Management Program, NC State Univ., Session 26, Raleigh, NC.