One summer night back in the late 1990s while responding to a call regarding a disorderly crowd in Portsmouth, Sean Dunn, then a patrol officer with the Portsmouth Police Department, had left the windows of his police cruiser ajar.
When he returned to the vehicle, he noticed that someone had anonymously slid a Bible through the window crack, which landed on the front passenger seat.
More than two decades later, Dunn, who took the helm in June as police chief for the Williamsburg Police Department, still has that Bible, a reminder of why he decided to become a police officer and the sacrifices he makes on a daily basis to protect the communities he has served through the years.
“It was one of those moments where I knew someone was concerned for me and what I do, and was just looking out for me,” said Dunn. “I will always keep that Bible.”
It was never Dunn’s intention to enter law enforcement. Dunn, who grew up in Portsmouth, had initially planned to attend medical school. Then he met his wife, Stacy, while working as an orderly at Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center, and his life took a detour.
He applied for a position with the Portsmouth Police Department so he could help put his wife through school instead.
“I was looking for a fun, exciting, and rewarding career,” Dunn said. “Twenty-four years later, I find it still to be the case.”
Dunn spent more than two decades with Portsmouth Police Department, working a gamut of cases ranging from minor traffic offenses to more serious drug-related crimes.
“I started out on the overnight shift, and it was everything I expected it to be,” he said. “I thought it was great work. I definitely felt like I was helping people multiple times during my shift. I liked that I was able to contribute to the community and help make a difference.”
After retiring from the Portsmouth Police Department, Dunn spent the next three years serving as police chief for the Martinsville Police Department.
Yearning to be closer to family — his mother still lives in Suffolk, and he has brothers in Franklin and Toano — he applied for the police chief position in Williamsburg, and took over the department on June 26 following the retirement of long-time police chief David Sloggie.
Williamsburg City Manager Marvin E. Collins III said Dunn was chosen to lead the police department because he “demonstrated a command presence balanced with a compassionate understanding needed for effective community policing.”
“Chief Dunn is a pure communicator who starts with listening and understanding,” he said.
Though he is still fresh to the force, Dunn is working with members of his department — he oversees 38 sworn police officers and a staff of five other personnel — as well as community members to ensure Williamsburg remains a safe place for years to come.
“My job is to determine what this community wants its police department to look like, then develop strategies to achieve that so that we can serve the community the best we can,” Dunn said. “The challenge as a police chief is always how we can best navigate what we do to best serve the community.”
Already he feels right at home thanks to the support of other city officials, fellow police officers, and the public.
“Before I even arrived here, I had people calling me and welcoming me to the community,” he said. “The warm reception from the staff and citizens has been just wonderful. This really is a great community, and I am learning more each day. The community here truly appreciates their police department.”
Dunn feels the same way about Williamsburg and its unique demographic makeup—the college students, the tourists, and the local residents young and old alike.
“I am a people person, and I meet a lot of people in this line of work,” he said. “I enjoy that aspect of this job. I know that Williamsburg has always had a great police department, and I will be looking for ways to continue to improve what we do and make us shine just a little brighter.”
