Dec. 31 will mark the end of Alexandria, Virginia, Sheriff Dana Lawhorne’s fourth term. It will also mark the end of his law enforcement career.
On Monday, the lifelong Alexandrian, 63, announced that he will retire at year’s end.
“This is a difficult decision because it is hard to leave a job that you love and are still passionate about,” he said in a statement. “I have known since I was 14 years old that this is what I wanted to do, and there was not one day where I wasn’t grateful to have this opportunity to serve my city.”
Lawhorne has been Alexandria’s sheriff since 2006. Before that, he had served for 27 years with Alexandria police.
In his statement Monday, Lawhorne said he was proud of playing a role in helping the Sheriff’s Office grow — with things such as educational opportunities for inmates, increased law enforcement training and enhanced public safety initiatives.
“From the time I began my law enforcement career, I never lost sight of what it was like to walk in someone else’s shoes — from those who needed police assistance to those who were entrusted into my care at the detention center,” he said.
Lawhorne plans to stay in town upon retirement, and said he’ll focus on another role: being a grandparent.
