“The Vinton Police Department continues us make us proud every day by providing excellent, exceedingly professional service for all the citizens of our town,” said Vinton Mayor Brad Grose. “The VPD is fully accredited, which means the leadership and the officers maintain an extremely high level of integrity and operational excellence. The members of the Police Department are not only well trained and well equipped, but they also truly care about the citizens of Vinton. There have been numerous stories of our officers going above and beyond their duty requirements. The Town of Vinton is a better, quieter, safer place because of the dedicated professionals in the Vinton Police Department,” like Deputy Chief Captain Tim Lawless.
Captain Lawless was named Deputy Chief in November 2021. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Vinton Police Department. He began his law enforcement career in 2005 with the Town of Bedford Police Department and came to the Vinton Police Department in November 2010 where he has risen through the ranks. He graduated from Franklin County High School with the Class of 1999 and is a graduate of the Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy.
He has received the department’s highest supervisory achievement—the Leadership Award—three times and has been recognized as Officer of the Month and Top Gun. He has also received the Life Saving Award. In 2015, he was recognized by the Office of the Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services, for his actions during a federal search warrant operation.
During his time as a senior supervisor, Lawless successfully applied for a competitive federal grant that helped fund the department’s vision of implementing body-worn cameras.
Lawless enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter. His hobbies include camping, fishing, ATV riding, and kayaking.
The Town of Vinton and the Vinton Messenger are partnering to put the spotlight on Town of Vinton employees—during the month of their birthdays. The Town is proud to have these individuals, like Captain Lawless, on their staff and want to make the community aware of who is “behind the scenes” making the town operate so successfully.