Police Chief Roche to Retire on June 1st

After an accomplished career in law enforcement spanning over 40 years, Police Chief Gary Roche will be retiring from the Pulaski Police Department on June 1st.

Chief Roche first began his law enforcement tenure in 1976, when he was hired as a Police Officer for the Harrisonburg Police Department. After serving there for two years, he then went on to become a Deputy Sheriff of the Roanoke County Sheriff's Office in 1978. Between then and 2001, he held virtually every position within the Roanoke County Police Department, steadily making his way up the ranks with his last position being Commanding Officer of their Special Operations Division. In 2001, he was hired for the position of Police Chief for the Town of Pulaski. Before and during his career, Police Chief Roche also obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Administration of Justice and Public Safety from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master of Science degree in Administration of Justice at Radford University.

With over 4 decades of law enforcement experience under his belt, Chief Roche has amassed a staggering amount of accomplishments and accolades. Among those achievements are a commendation from the Roanoke Chief of Police for his performance at the F.B.I. National Academy, a first place award in the Virginia Law Enforcement Chief's Challenge in 2001, and earning the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police Past President's Award. Outside of major awards, Chief Roche has consistently been involved in professional and volunteer activities. He has held the position of President or Chairman for multiple Police Chiefs Associations, and has participated in several community improvement organizations such as the Pulaski Community Partners Coalition and the Governor's Mental Health Working Group. Chief Roche has also been instrumental in securing continued accreditation with the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission for the Pulaski Police Department.

Police Chief Roche will be greatly missed by all who have worked with him at the Town of Pulaski. During his time here, he has elevated our police department to new heights and brought about a lasting commitment to the improvement of our community and the lives of our residents and visitors. We wish him well in his retirement and salute him for an incredible career.

If you have any questions regarding this press release, please contact Jordan Whitt, Social Media Manager at 540-994-8610 or by email at [emailprotected]