Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

First Sergeant David Moody, who heads up the Buckingham County Sheriff’s Office’s patrol division, uses his 17 years of law enforcement experience to bring justice to those who have been wronged and keep the peace throughout his community.

Born in Charlottesville, Moody moved early on in life to Buckingham where he has stayed ever since.

Working in law enforcement provides opportunities every day to touch the lives of others and make a difference in the community, although it’s a tricky art to master.

For Moody, no day is the same. Being a law enforcement officer means anything can be thrown your way, from domestic calls to theft reports to a standard traffic stop.

Emotions can run high, but for Moody, it’s important to show members of the public that he cares — he’s there to listen and to help and tries to approach each situation with professionalism.

The job is not without its difficulties. Working in law enforcement means he and his fellow men and women in uniform witness heartbreaking situations — fatal car crashes, suicides and homicides which can seemingly take forever to solve.

“Honestly, it’s looking into the eyes of the victims or survivors and having to tell them ‘I don’t know’ when they ask the unanswerable question, ‘why?’” he said. “That is the most difficult,  at least for me.”

Moody’s favorite part of the job, like any superhero, is bringing resolution to people who have been victimized by a criminal act. It is extremely important to him to provide a measure of safety to the community as a whole, and each day he is able to put on his uniform, serve and protect citizens.

Many don’t know that Moody also possesses a degree in psychology from James Madison University. When he’s not working or catching up on chores after long shifts, he immensely enjoys the outdoors and can be found kayaking, hiking, mountain biking and fishing.

Moody believes it doesn’t take a cape or extraordinary superpowers to make a superhero.

“Whoever takes a few minutes to better the life of another is a superhero,” He noted. “Something as simple as driving respectfully, giving people space, just putting others ahead of yourself.”

Moody has many hopes for the community’s future, including getting every citizen to just pause and breathe after such a long and difficult year.

“We all need to just find those little opportunities to enjoy the day that we have been given and lift someone else up in some way.”

To see the full A Salute to Community Heroes edition click here.