Director Leonard G. Cooke
Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services
1100 Bank Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219

Reappointed by Governor Timothy M. Kaine in April 2006, Mr. Leonard G. Cooke directs the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), which employs 132 individuals with a budget of $300 million. He oversees four functional Divisions within DCJS: Administration, Programs and Services, Law Enforcement and Research Services, and Security and Regulatory Services, which provide comprehensive planning and state of the art technical and support services for the criminal justice system to improve and promote public safety in the Commonwealth. He also directs the efforts of the agency’s Policy and Planning office.

Prior to his appointment, he had an extensive 32-year law enforcement career. He served as the Chief of Police in Portsmouth, Virginia, from March 1998 until May 2002, where he commanded and directed all police-related services for the city and its 380-member police department. Mr. Cooke also served as the Chief of Police in Eugene, Oregon, from July 1992 to March 1998. He also served with distinction with the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. for 22 years from January 1970 to August 1992.

He has Masters degree in Public Administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, a B.A. degree from Linfield College and is a graduate of the 159th session of the FBI National Academy. In 1988 he served as a Fellow with the International Association of Chiefs of Police. He received the 1998 Humanitarian Award from the Jewish Federation of Lane County, Oregon, for his work in fostering community. He is active in many national, regional and local organizations and activities including:

• Mayor’s Commission on City Jail Issues, Richmond, Virginia (2005)
• Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, UVA (2004 Graduate)
• Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, VCU (2004 MPLI Program Graduate)
• Virginia Executive Institute (2003 Graduate)
• Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police
• Member of the National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA) Advisory Board
• State and Local Law Enforcement Advisory Board to the Counter-Drug Intelligence Coordinating Group
• National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
• Former NOBLE President
• FBI National Academy Associates
• United Way
• National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Civil Right Committee