WILLIAMSBURG — William & Mary has named Don Butler, the interim chief of police since June 1, as chief of the university’s police department.
Butler steps into his permanent role as of Friday, Nov. 10.
“I have always been proud to be a member of law enforcement, but in William & Mary I have found my home,” Butler told W&M News. “I am proud to lead and work each day with the members of this department. William & Mary Police provides the highest standard of community policing. Each and every member is dedicated to this campus and that ideal.”
According to the W&M News report, Butler led the overhaul and full automation of both the department’s property and evidence function and criminal investigations file system, including implementation of a new report writing software. It noted in 2019, he oversaw WMPD’s initial Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission accreditation prep and assessment that resulted in a perfect score. Butler has been recognized by the department with numerous honors, including the Chief’s Citation Award (2015) and the WMPD Employee of the Year Award (2017), it added.
“William & Mary could not ask for a finer professional to serve as our next chief of police,” said Ginger Ambler, vice president of student affairs. “Don Butler brings years of experience to this critical role, and he is recognized statewide as an exceptional leader in law enforcement, emergency management and threat assessment. Most especially, Chief Butler is deeply committed to William & Mary, approaching his work with wisdom, integrity, a spirit of collaboration and an unwavering ethic of care for others. The health and safety of our campus community is ever his highest priority.”
Before joining the W&M Police Department in 2012, Butler served for 20 years in the Portsmouth Police Department. At William & Mary, he was promoted to major in 2017 and became deputy chief in 2021.
In 2022, Butler graduated from the Professional Executive Leadership School of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, where his cohort elected him as their spokesperson, according to W&M News. He holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and law enforcement administration from St. Leo University and a master’s degree in criminal justice from Arizona State University.
