Officer Offered Beach Top-Cop Job

New Cheif comes with baggage!!!! Mr. Hawkins started with the State Police in 1993 and worked his way up, and then mysteriously left the State Police in 2006 after 13 years with that department to go to work for a local police department in the street crimes unit to deal with purse snatching, motor vehicle theft, etc. Why would you do that when your current organization has VCI, and Special agent devisions with in the State Police? He could not retire from the State Police as you have to have 25 years of service and be 50 years old. Prior to this he was a dispatcher for another local police department.
I guess once again for the Town of Colonial Beach it proves true as long as you are not from here or work here they will hire you!!!! No matter how many use of force complaints, or mysterious reasons for haveing to leave other departments you may have!!! You are number one in Colonial Beach!!! This occures even though other candidates have never had one complaint, and one was acting chief for 8 months, and was tasked with the running of the police department with no problems durring this time. This particular person had 15 years to deal with any situation that did and has arose within the Town of Colonial Beach on a first hand basis. This is LT Devers, but since he is from here and does not have problems he is not good enough!!!!! I hope the Mayor has a badge and can cover the street with the message this current councile is sending, No current officer or dispatcher will stay. Why should they? What does this new Chief now abought budgets, administration etc. since this is mainly handeled at HQ in the State Police.

I pleed with you to show your support for Steve Kennedy, and Linda Crandell as they have the best interest of Colonial Beach in mind!!!!

As for the remaining: Mayor Bone, Trish King, Gerry Higgs, and Fred Rummage. THEY NEED TO GO IN MAY!!!!!!! Please do not support these people for the judging of a dog show, or anything else, as they will probablly lie, and a dog that was not even entered into the contest would win!!!

It is a shame the council has done this. The ones that voted not to promote within need to be removed from Council and Mayor.

Saw the Journal today and all I can say is WOW!!!! Not only does Mr. Hawkins have less than a steller background, now we are going to pay him $40,000.00 more than any one else in the police department!!!! We can't offored raises for the current employees or only pay in the $20,000.00 range occording to a recent freelancestar artical, also in that artical I thought it said Chief Turner made around $47,000.00 or $48,000.00 and he has been here for 6 years. This new chief is makeing 30,000.00 more than him and it is not even a new budget year. That means his salary has to come out of the current budget.Was this money included in the budget or are we going to say later the police department overspent there budget like they are doing with the school? Are the other police employees going to get a raise now down the whole chain or do we just pass them by and not worry abought them because they work here currently. Better hurry it is getting cold and the money tree may die, funny how it blooms at the appropriet time!!!!

I agree with you cbboy1. Where is this money comming from? We have unpaved roads, pot holes, and water leaks, but have money for this. I wonder how much it would have cost, or we would have saved if we had prommotted within. Especially with this sallary. That puts him next to the Town Manager (although I here they have the same background). I wounder if Rob Murphy gets paid that much since he is a department head, or if he gave himself a 5% increase after not even being here a year? Seems the Town never has money, listen to them, but they sure have a funny way of showing it. Get ready for a tax increase or another loan from somewhere.

It's absolutely amazing how one man can seem to rise to such power with such an amazingly shady backround. I always questioned why one man, rising to the rank of 1st Sgt. in VA State Police would suddenly quite his job to take a position as a Patrolman with a local agency. I think that the Town Council members really need to look into Mr. Hawkin's dirty past a little deeper. While I will not public post any direct derogitory remarks, Mr. Hawkins is not Chief material. He looks good on paper, but that's about it. I fully concure with r meadows and cbboy1. If cbboy1 is right, the new Chief is not worth the $75000 plus he's going to recieve. Good luck to the Town's people.

First of all I want to say I'm very sorry to here about the issues that your town is having. Bringing Hawkins on is only going to make it worse. He may look good on paper but his performance is poor. He lacks leadership skills and loyalty. He's has had fratnization and ethical issues in the past, and last I heard he has continued in that same path. He has always put himself first and other officers second. He will prove to be a big mistake for your town. But don't worry he won't last long in a position like that. For the officers watch your backs around him and becareful what you say and intrust him with.

frfdfeq

Hawkins is a mistake for the Town of Colonial Beach. He has excellent credentials but low ethical and loyalty standards. From what I understand, his reasons for leaving the State Police had to do with an inappropriate relationship with the wife of one of the troopers he was supervising. After leaving the State Police, the same type of activity supposedly occurred with another female officer who also worked for the Hampton Police. Amazing. See apattern anyone?

;lkj;ljk

As a resident of Colonial Beach, I am very concerned with the counsels decision to hire MR Hawkins. I have also heard that Mr Hawkins brings with him the lack of integrity and is being paid $67,000 a year to inflict it upon the citizens and remaining police officers of this town. I have heard comments about Lt Devers and his leadership ability during Chief Turners abscence, but also Sgt Blevins, another applicant for the job is ALSO well qualified to hold the position of Chief of Police. HE brought with him years of experience( 25 +) and diversity from larger departments when he joined the CBPD several years ago. His background included many reccomendations from LOCAL law enforcement administrators and yet the counsel STILL chose a LESS qualified person and offered him a large sum of money. People please keep this in mind when casting your next vote in your town.

Seems they all have baggage, maybe should locked all 3 in a room and see who comes out first. Counsel must have seen something in the background investigation or the consultants review of the Police Department. Turner may not have been the best but there is no way he could have done everything wrong by himself especially since he was not there for 6-8 months and no change.

You are right Turner was not there for 6-8 months but the things he had done could not be change before he returned,and as for all three having baggage maybe you know something I don't. I do know that at least one of the applicants had letters of reference from many of the local sheriffs,commonwealth attorneys and business people,but does Hawkins have these, he stated that he would try to establish a working relationship with these people,by the council picking someone who will have to try and establish this relationship instead of hiring someone who already has it shows that they have no concern for the citizen of this town because it will be another God knows how many years of poor leadership and discontent just like it has been for the last 6 years. I believe one of the questions ask of the applicants at the interview was if they had ever done anything that would bring embrassasment to the Town or the Police Department and I guess the answer to that queston was YES because they hired the one person who will bring the most embrassasment. So if you are a good person,a strong leader,can improve the morale of the department and make the citizens of the town respect their police department do not bother to apply for the chief of police job in Colonial Beach because that is not what the town council wants but if you have no integrity,poor leadership,are dishonest and will bring nothing but embrassasment to the town and the department even before you take over the position as chief, then you are just the right person for the job according to the town council.So to my fellow citizens of Colonial Beach, here we go again and the only light I see at the end of the tunnel will come in May when we can vote out the ones that keep our town under marshall law by hiring the types of police chiefs that they have, I don't know about you but my phone now has the speed dial number of the Westmoreland Sheriff office and not the Colonial Beach Police

I would like to say that I am sorry for your town but happy for the local police department he is trying to leave. Mr. Hawkins has burned many bridges in his past starting with the State Police and now the local agency he is at. He continues to make his own rules and now it will be easier when he is Chief of Police. His shaddy past will catch up with him and your city will realize the grave mistake they have made by promoting such a sorry excuse for human life. Mr. Mayor if you like your job and all the votes you get, you might want to keep a close eye on your new firend. If you need any advice just call Chief Chuck Jordan and I am sure he will point you in the right direction. He and Mr. Hawkins are two peas in a pod.

Speaking as someone in law enforcement i can honestly say that promoting from within isn't always a good thing. If a department has had problems in the past you could get more of the same. On the other hand i have heard many stories about Hawkins as he used to work in this area. I would hope that town council would recognize the fact that several people are very concerned (rightfully so) about Mr Hawkins and his reputation. Why would a 13 year trooper quit before he was eligible for retirement? The fact that he works for a local juristiction is not an issue, i now many of the officers in Hampton and all are hard working and dedicated. But lets ask the real question here. The town council has to look at his past history. If they don't realize the same problems that we can all see here in this forum, then what are they up too? How can you justify such a pay increase? Many questions that the citizens should be asking the town council.

I believe that the council has made the right choice. Alot of the posts come from people that do not have law enforcement experience and don't know Hawkins. He has served with honors in both local and state agencies. His experience range from patrol officer, highway and city drug interdiction, area Sergeant, First Sergeant in charge of investigations, motor carrier certified and tactical team leader. Chief Hawkins is a team player and will do everything in his power to increase moral and make the department better. The problem that Colonial Beach is going to face is trying to keep this highly qualified law enforcement officer as their Chief at the end of his contract. Hawkins will be an effective chief, but only with the support of town officals and it's citizens.

As a new resident in the area, I would hope that all of those above who have posted negative comments are continually active in our community. I think it is very easy to spew venom without knowing all of the facts. I would hope that you stay abreast of ALL issues pertaining to this town and avoid a bandwagon of negative connotation regarding Mr. Hawkins. In my opinion, this town has long needed a new Chief...one with education, fervor and the ability to lead his team. Regarding a Chief's salary...why don't you all do some research on your own? I know for a fact that "regular" officers make $40-60K a year...it is absolutely ridiculous to think that someone taking this position should not make an appropriate amount of income. Think of the work and hours this incoming Chief will be required to put in. He is not entering an easy task here--and he deserves to be compensated. With that, I believe that our current officers are also due a pay increase to get them to competitive levels. The decision has been made. It is our responsibility as good citizens to stick together and help make this transition as peaceful as possible.

I don't agree with you newcb and in my opinion the Town Council and the Mayor has made a poor choice. In most businesses you promote with in first before going outside. The next in charge I understand had very close to the same training without the baggage (since he has lived here all his life and been on the police department his hole working life, we all know any baggage he would have since this is CB and we know how the rumors are here), and would have cost the Town alot less money. And I have also heard he had alot of great ideas for the department and he also already had a good repor with the business and most of the Town's citizens and most of us from here have watched him grow up and he has grew up with our kids. And for the school kids now he has volunteered his time and coached most of them in football, basketball or softball. So why on earth would a business leader choose not to promote within and try it out and see how it works before going outside, especially since he has already severed in this capacity with no complaints even though his power was limited and it was a tedious situation, the department or officers could have been lost at anytime? Oh yeah we are in CB and these come here's that are in charge make there own rules (who cares if it is good for the Town or if it is going to cost the town thousands of dollars. As long as we spend the money on things we don’t need and not the stuff we need to spend it on). We need a change in May! If I were you I would do more research myself as I have and the average pay in the police department is between $22K and $48K (Chief Turner at the top)(CB is competitive with the sounding area, the only way you are going to make $40-$60K as an officer is to go North, then again if you think officers make that kind of money you must not be from the Northern Neck area and I guess you want our tax dollars to go up even more.) this is public record and as far as education Chief Turner has much more experience & education than Mr. Hawkins. Chief Turner was a Police Chief prior to coming here. What was Mr. Hawkins?

kls

In response to the above comments, it is very true Mr Hawkins has no integrity and the most questionable ethics. He is only loyal to himself. His reputation in this area is less than stellar. It will only be a short time before his lack of ethics, loyalty and integrity are apparent in Colonial Beach.

This is an outrage. I have know "MR." Hawkins for for a few years. All these people have it right. He has a terrible reputation. He is the biggest "skirt chaser" on the face of the planet. And anyone is "fair game". For a married man, he sure gets around. I know first hand of his affair with his subordinate's wife. This man ruined the life of not only a fellow tropper. He also broke up a family with 2 small childern. I did hear about the one in Hampton. This "man" has the morales of a snake. I've seen colonial beach, va and I know how small town American works. Hiring this man would not only be a HUGE mistake, but it would affect your whole department. If there is any way the council can get out of this, the need to RUN!!!!!