Chief of Police

Chris Settle

The Chief of Police, Chief Chris Settle, is the commanding officer of the Department and provides efficient and effective police services to the residents and visitors of the Town of Culpeper. The Chief is responsible for the planning and direction of all Department activities and is the final authority in all matters of policy, operations, and discipline. Chief Settle also oversees the agency’s the Support Division and the Body-Worn Camera Program. The Support Division includes Police Administration and Records Center. They provide support services to the Chief, Operations Division, and Investigations Division. They handle record management, record requests, logistics, department grants, policy maintenance, and fleet management, among other areas. They are also responsible for produces internal and external publications such as the Annual Report.

Chief Settle has been with the Town of Culpeper Police Department since 1997 when he started as a Police Officer. He is a life-long resident of Culpeper and graduate from Culpeper County High School in 1992. He obtained his Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Radford University in 1997. Chief Settle also complete post-graduate programs through the Virginia Chiefs of Police Foundation, to include the Institute on Leadership in Changing Times at Virginia Tech University, and the Professional Executive Leadership School at University of Richmond’s school of Business. Chief Settle also attended the Virginia Department of Forensic Science Academy in 2003 in Richmond, Virginia.

Chief Settle has worked in various roles and capacities within the Culpeper Police Department, and obtained the ranks of sergeant, lieutenant, and Captain prior to obtaining the rank of Major in 2015. In January 2023 he was appointed Acting Chief upon the retirement of Chief Chris Jenkins, and then in February 2023 he was formally appointed Chief of Police. Chief Settle served as an assistant to the agency’s Accreditation Manager from 2005-2011 and now serves as the agency’s Accreditation Manager. He oversaw the agency’s reaccreditation in 2014, 2017, and 2021. Chief Settle also serves as a CALEA Assessor and Team Leader since 2008, assessing other professional law enforcement agencies across the country.

Major/Deputy Chief

Nick White

Major White oversees the Support Division. The Support Division encompasses Administrative Services, Property and Evidence, and Equipment. These divisions oversee all administrative services such as our Records Department, agency accreditation, and maintaining training requirements. They also include our digital forensic specialist, evidence integrity, and all equipment and uniform needs for the agency, staff, and officers.

Major White began his law enforcement career in 2002 with the Virginia State Police. He has also served with the Culpeper County Sheriff’s Office, and briefly with the Culpeper Police Department in 2020. Over the course of his career, Major White has served in patrol, Criminal Investigations, S.W.A.T. Operations, and as a task force officer for the Virginia State Police. Major White earned his Juris Doctorate from American University Washington College of Law in 2018 and then in 2021 became a practicing attorney for the law firm of Gayheart & Willis, P.C. in Culpeper. He is also a 2020 graduate of the Forensic Science Academy.

Captain

Kevin Tooley

Captain Tooley oversees the Operations Division, the largest division within Culpeper Police Department, which includes all of the patrol platoons.

After serving the US Army, Captain Tooley began his career with the Culpeper Police Department in 1997 as a patrol officer. Over the course of his career, he’s served as Lead Firearms Instructor, Lead Armorer, General Instructor, Field Trainer, RADAR/ LIDAR Instructor, and Lead Taser Instructor. From 2006 to 2007, Captain Tooley served as an International Police Trainer in Iraq then returned to Culpeper Police Department.