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Darrell Hodges has announced that he is running for another term as Sheriff of Cumberland County. He has been Sheriff of Cumberland since 2008 and has been in law enforcement for more than 30 years.

Hodges is a career law enforcement officer whose time in uniform and at the helm of Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office has been guided by one simple belief: everyone deserves respect. He has always believed that every citizen deserves common decency and respect, no matter their differences or background.

Darrell was born and raised in Cumberland County, and his career in emergency services began as a junior fireman for the Farmville Fire Department at just 16 years old, and then as an emergency dispatcher for the Farmville Police Department. Darrell began serving as a full-time law enforcement officer in 1991. He has a bachelor’s degree in sociology with a concentration in criminal justice from Longwood University.

Over his sixteen-year career as Sheriff, Darrell has implemented 24-hour, county-wide police coverage (2008), reintroduced the D.A.R.E. program, secured grant funding to support expanded staff positions, improved police vehicles, installed in-car cameras, and purchased new safety equipment. In 2023 alone, Darrell has secured nearly $485,000 in grant funds, which has allowed the department to add a second school resource officer and a victim witness advocate to the department. And because Hodges believes that people matter most, he led the effort to increase officer compensation, as well as implemented an active drug canine program, helping to keep drugs out of Cumberland County.

Hodges reflecting on his 16-year career and his announcement of re-election said “Being your Sheriff has been my honor and privilege, and I hope you’ll allow me to continue serving our great county.”

Hodges believes deeply in the importance and impact of community policing, where officers establish relationships with the community, keeping everyone safe. During his tenure, a number of programs have been successfully launched and continue thriving, including Project Life Saver, aiding Cumberland’s most vulnerable citizens; Call Back Safety Checks and Firewood for the Elderly, both of which allow our eldest community members to feel safe and heard; a county-wide Neighborhood Watch program; an internship program with Cumberland County Schools, offering today’s students first-hand experience with law enforcement; and finally, the wildly successful Shop with a Deputy program, ensuring that 60 of the county’s kids don’t miss out on receiving gifts at the holidays, which is fully through private donations.

And while the community programs and initiatives are vital parts of Hodges’ tenure, and departmental growth is important, Cumberland County has also maintained one of the lowest crime rates in the Commonwealth, which Hodges says the department “takes very seriously.” 

Want to learn more about Darrell Hodges and his campaign? Visit www.hodges4sheriff.com.