Chief Herb Cooley
Former Vinton Police Chief Herb Cooley passed away on Saturday, Oct. 26, one day after his
83rd birthday, at his home in Murrells Inlet, S.C, where he was in hospice care from prolonged
cardiac issues. He retired to the South Carolina coast in 2011 after an illustrious 45-year career in
law enforcement. He retired as Chief of Police in Vinton, a position he held for 11 years.
Chief Cooley was born in Grayson County and served as a radio operator in the United States
Coast Guard for four years. In 1966, he began his career at the High Point Police Department,
where he worked in patrol, traffic, and detective divisions, leaving the North Carolina
department as narcotics sergeant.
After several years with the North Carolina Office of the Public Defender, Cooley came to
Virginia to serve as Chief Deputy for the Wythe County Sheriff’s Office from 1980 to 1994,
serving with Sheriff Wayne Pike, leaving a legacy of drug and traffic safety programs still in
place today. He even served as president of the local Chamber of Commerce. During that time,
he received a Master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond and was a
graduate of the globally esteemed FBI National Academy in Quantico.
His tenure as Chief of Police for the Town of Pulaski, from 1994 to 2000, marked a period of
transformative change, modernization, and community-focused policing.
When he arrived in Vinton on September 5, 2000, to take the helm of the Vinton Police
Department, he brought with him decades of law enforcement experience and a vision for
modern, professional policing. His first day might have seemed inauspicious— a flat tire delayed
his arrival for an official introduction before Town Council— but those who worked with him
soon discovered that Cooley’s leadership would transform the department in ways that
reverberated across the region.
Chief Cooley said he accepted the position of police chief in Vinton because he was approaching
retirement and Vinton had a smaller force to supervise, but with higher pay.
Colleagues immediately recognized his fairness and integrity. Cooley gave employees the benefit
of the doubt and approached problems collaboratively, demanding honesty above all else.
“We can forgive mistakes of the mind,” he told his officers, “but not mistakes of the heart.” This
principle guided a department that was rebuilding morale, professionalism, and trust with the
community.
One of Cooley’s first initiatives was to invest in the department’s leadership. Senior supervisors
were sent to advanced management training at Virginia Tech’s Institute for Leadership in
Changing Times, equipping them with the skills to improve operations, team cohesion, and
strategic planning. Cooley’s emphasis on continuous improvement extended to every facet of the department, from patrol vehicles to administrative procedures. Under his leadership, the
department’s fleet expanded and shifted from shared vehicles to individually assigned cars,
increasing accountability and prolonging the life of each patrol car from two years to over a
decade.
Cooley was also a meticulous planner, ensuring that pay and benefits were competitive with
other regional agencies to retain trained officers. By demonstrating the financial and operational
advantages of investing in his personnel, he convinced Town Council to support improvements
that strengthened the department while serving the public efficiently.
Professionalism was central to Cooley’s philosophy. He insisted on rigorous training, adherence
to rules, and uncompromising standards for ethics. He created incentive-based pay programs,
awarding officers for education, certifications, and specialized skills, fostering both professional
growth and departmental loyalty.
Perhaps Cooley’s most significant accomplishment in Vinton was achieving full state
accreditation from the Virginia Law Enforcement Standards Commission, making the
department one of the state’s first fully accredited agencies. “It is a very hard thing to achieve,”
recalled his administrative assistant, Sharon Poff. “Just having rules and regulations wasn’t
enough— you had to follow them rigorously, and Chief Cooley made sure we did.”
Cooley’s tenure also emphasized community engagement. He expanded the Vinton Citizens
Police Academy, partnered with the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce, and initiated
innovative programs such as business blitzes, biking patrols, and K-9 units. Officers recall his
commitment to recognizing achievement, including annual awards banquets he had started years
earlier in Pulaski. His efforts forged stronger ties between the police and the public, ensuring
citizens felt represented and protected.
Leadership under Cooley was both strategic and compassionate. During challenging incidents,
such as a tragic accident involving community members, he personally coordinated outreach to
families and staff, demonstrating a balance of procedural competence and human care.
By the time Cooley retired from Vinton, the department had undergone a remarkable
transformation. The police force was professional, cohesive, well-trained, and respected both
internally and by neighboring agencies. Grants totaling $1.8 million had enhanced resources,
patrol strength had increased, and operational systems— from fleet management to emergency
communications— had been modernized.
The impact of Cooley’s leadership extended beyond policies and programs. Officers and
administrators alike recall his humor, fairness, and dedication. As Captain Ben Cook, who
succeeded him as interim chief, stated at his 2011 retirement banquet, “Herb Cooley has not only
been our chief, but a resource, mentor, father figure, and close friend. He inspired us to be good
officers and leaders, and we will always try to maintain character, competence and commitment,
the three characteristics he looks for in a police officer.”
Chief Cooley’s legacy in Vinton is a model of effective leadership in law enforcement: a blend
of integrity, innovation, and commitment to community. Through state accreditation, organizational modernization, and the cultivation of professionalism, Cooley left a department
that continues to reflect the principles he championed— a standard of excellence that sets the bar
for policing across Virginia.
Chief Cooley’s son Zach spent most of his life seeing Herb Cooley just as his father. Listening to
the accolades at his retirement dinner in Vinton revealed a side to his father he never knew. At
his retirement dinner, in a demonstration of his true character, Cooley asked all of the Vinton
police officers to stand up when he rose to speak, saying “this is why I look good, ladies and
gentlemen.”
Zach’s desire to become acquainted with his father’s career in law enforcement led to publication
of “Herb Cooley: the Law Enforcement Legacy of My Father.”
Zach says his father’s history as a police officer was “deeply rooted from 1842 when Cooley’s
great-great-great-grandfather was appointed as the first sheriff in Carroll County.”
“During his tenure, Chief Cooley elevated the level of professionalism in our police department,
established respect for our department with other police agencies in the valley, as well as with
our citizens, and increased police department interaction within our community,” said Vinton
Mayor Brad Grose.
A celebration of life will be held for Cooley on Saturday, Nov. 8, at 1p.m. at Coal Creek
Community Church in Galax. A graveside service will immediately follow at Coal Creek
Cemetery, with a reception to follow at the church. Plans for a future memorial scholarship are in
the works.
Cooley is survived by his wife Rhonda; four children, eight grandchildren, eight great-
grandchildren, and a great-great-granddaughter. His brother, Doug, who held his own
distinguished career as a police officer, also survives.
