About the City of Suffolk

Suffolk, Virginia is located on the eastern seaboard of the United States. It is within minutes and a few hours of some of the most important landmarks of the United States. From the Lost Colony on Roanoke Island, to Williamsburg, to Washington D.C., Suffolk is surrounded by the beginning of our country and the history still being made today. Below is a list of Suffolk Demographics from 2021.

History of Suffolk Police Department

To look at the history of the Suffolk Police Department, one must first look at the history of Nansemond County and the City of Suffolk.  Nansemond County was formed in 1646, and the Town of Suffolk, which was located within the County of Nansemond, was established in 1742.  It was named after Virginia’s governor, William Gooch, who came from Suffolk County, England.  In 1889, there was a four man police department in Suffolk and in 1901, a six man department.  Suffolk was made the county seat of Nansemond County and became a city in 1910.  The first Chief of Police in Suffolk was William E. Brinkley, who was killed in the line of duty in 1918.

The Nansemond County Police Department was founded in 1970, and in 1972, the County of Nansemond became the City of Nansemond. The Sheriff of Nansemond was in charge of law enforcement for the City of Nansemond until 1974, when the City of Nansemond merged with the City of Suffolk. This joining of law enforcement agencies formed what is currently the Suffolk Police Department. Chief Henry L. Mundie, the former Chief of Police for the City of Nansemond, became the Chief of Police for the “new” City of Suffolk.