HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — Hopewell Police Chief Colonel A.J. Starke has announced his retirement after over a year with the department.
In a post on his Facebook profile, Starke said that he will be retiring on April 1, 2023, about a year and four months after he was named interim Police Chief and ten months after being named former Police Chief Kamran Afzal’s permanent replacement.
“After serving six months as the Interim Chief, I quickly realized that Hopewell is a City with so much potential as I gained immediate respect for the men and women serving in the agency and the citizens that have lived in Hopewell their entire life,” said Starke in the post.
Starke was a member of the Chesterfield County Police Department for 30 years before becoming Hopewell’s interim Police Chief.
“During my time as Chief, I am most proud of the relationships that have been formed within the agency and in the community,” said Starke in the post.
