Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

A lot can happen on a university campus in a single year. In addition to the annual rigors of academic life, Longwood Police Chief Angela Comer’s first year at Longwood University also included a historic celebration of the local impact on the Brown v. the Board of Education ruling and a team run to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. 

“Though not without challenges, my time at Longwood University has been rewarding and inspiring,” Comer said. “Law enforcement practitioners strive to “find the work” in every incident, situation, or position.  This means finding a way to be useful in the mission, position, agency, or environment you are serving. I am committed to being useful to Longwood University and the region and enjoy ‘the work.” 

Comer indicated that community engagement and youth mentoring are areas of strength for her and in her role as Police Chief of Longwood University she has the opportunity to participate in both. 

“Interacting with the students has been overwhelmingly rewarding.  I have enjoyed exchanging ideas, laughing, debating, supporting, and learning from them,” Comer said. “Sometimes, I was unsure which direction the mentoring trajectory was pointing, but I learned from each interaction.”

A love for history 

Comer’s first year with Longwood coincides with the 50th anniversary of Brown v the Board of Education, the landmark civil rights decision with roots in Prince Edward County. At Undergraduate Commencement in May, Longwood also honored with tributes and honorary degrees members of the generations who helped make that history, as well as those who were not able to attend Longwood before it was desegregated. It was here Comer said she experienced the highest honor of her time at Longwood so far. 

“As a lifetime Virginian, I have always had a love for history.  Learning about the Moton Museum, the story of Prince Edward County’s relationship with the Brown vs. Board Education case, and hearing the stories of those impacted by the fight for integration has been a highlight of my time in Farmville and an absolute joy,” Comer explained. “By far, however, the honor of escorting hundreds into the ceremony that conveyed honorary degrees to those impacted by the school closures and watching the recipients or their family representatives march to accept the honors may have been the pinnacle of a great first year.”

Comer was previously a captain with Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources, where she managed Internal Affairs, Compliance and Leadership Development. Now with over 25 years of law enforcement experience, she spent the majority of her career in the Arlington County Police Department, rising from patrol officer and school resource officer to lieutenant, overseeing the property crimes division. 

Comer is the second member of her family to serve in law enforcement. Her father Irving was the first Black police officer in Arlington County.

Looking ahead

As she continues aiming to make the Longwood University Police Department a model for small university police agencies in the Commonwealth, Comer said is on the lookout for more firsts. 

“I look forward to more firsts in the upcoming academic year and opportunities to participate in more Longwood University events, activities, and traditions,” Comer said.