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Th ursday, April 28
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The Civil Air Patrol, Hanover Squadron is hosting an open house from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Fairfield Presbyterian Church, 6930 Cold Harbor Rd, Mechanicsville. Learn what CAP has to offer for youths, ages 12 to 21, in the cadet program and for adults who want to serve in training the next generation of leaders. They will be accepting tattered or worn U.S. flags. For more information, contact Capt. James Wright at james.wright@vawg. cap.gov or visit https://vawg. cap.gov/units/hanover.
GOODMAN
Continued from pg. 1 Macon College (RMC), stepped forward to offer his gratitude to Goodman on behalf of all students and faculty. Goodman has worked closely with RMC to improve the safety of the campus community over the years.
“We’re so very, very grateful for your leadership,” Lindgren said. “We’re honored that… you kept our community safe and the way that you have led all of the men and women who work with you to demonstrate your values as well.”
“He embodies what justice is,” said Pat Hunter-Jordan, the president of the Hanover NAACP. “We knew when anything came up, it was a simple phone call.”
Hunter-Jordan and others, including Virginia State Police officers, presented Goodman with custom plaques as a token of their appreciation. A gift table sat outside of the event room for other attendees to place their gifts as well.
Faye Prichard, the Ashland supervisor on the Hanover County Board of Supervisors, offered her own touching remarks. She said Goodman joined APD during a difficult time of turmoil for the Ashland community.
“It is not possible that anybody turned the culture around the way that he did,” Prichard said. “And he changed it by changing hearts and minds and by meeting each person where they were.”
Out of the many speeches given, Goodman was overwhelmingly praised for his humility, exceptional leadership and community-oriented policing. He held a steadfast dedication to strengthening relationships with community leaders, fostering a just environment and dutifully aiding any resident in need.
Goodman first announced his retirement in January and officially retired on Friday, April 22 from law enforcement after 29 years of service with the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office and the Ashland Police Department (APD).
Goodman first served the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office for over 14 years and reached the rank of Lieutenant. He said he was “blessed” to serve under former Hanover County Sheriff Col. Stuart Cook and Col. David Hines, who served as Lieutenant Colonel at the time.
“They gave me so many opportunities for education and to expand my horizons as a law enforcement leader,” Goodman said.
He said the next logical step in his career was to pursue the opportunity to lead an agency and was given the opportunity by then Town of Ashland Manager Charles Hartgrove in 2007 during a “pivotal turning point” in the department, he said.
Goodman first joined the APD as a Captain in August 2007 and was officially appointed to the Chief’s position on July 1, 2008.
“I came here at a time where we were able to have such community support and council support,” Goodman said. “We were able to kind of shoot ourselves out of a cannon, if you will, with a lot of improvements in a very short amount of time.”
Among the various notable achievements by APD includes reaching Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2008, which the department maintains to this day. APD is one of only 35 agencies in the Commonwealth to maintain CALEA accreditation and is the smallest municipal police department to do so.
Under Goodman’s leadership, the agency has also won multiple state and national awards for data-driven approaches to crime and traffic safety. APD secured over $1 million in grant funding that enabled the department to become one of the first agencies in the Richmond region to deploy officer-worn cameras to every patrol officer and to equip them with other law enforcement technologies.
Among Goodman’s most impactful work in and with the community includes his engagement with community leaders to decrease blight and improve conditions at several long-term stay motels along Ashland’s I-95 and Route 1 corridors.
He also worked with community members to form the Ashland Police Foundation and partnered with RMC and Reynolds Community College over the years to create a Cadet program aimed at recruiting officers that mirror the demographics of Ashland’s community.
Goodman said he has been “blessed” to work with the exceptional staff of APD and that none of his achievements are his own.
“Any success of APD that's attributed to me is because of them,” Goodman said. “It’s easy for me to be the face, but I have not done it on my own… We have an incredible staff of law enforcement professionals, both sworn in and civilian in the agency.”
Looking back, Goodman said it is challenging to pinpoint a single most memorable experience during his time as Chief, as he holds countless memorable experiences serving the Town of Ashland. “Most of my memorable experiences would never make the front page of any newspaper,” he said. “But they were memorable to me. Whether we were able to help a citizen out… solve a crime, especially one that was affecting our community in a significant way.”
After a careful search by Town Manager Josh Farrar, a hiring advisory committee and feedback from the public, Major Troy Aronhalt has been selected to succeed Goodman as Ashland’s new Chief of Police.
Goodman said he is extremely pleased with the Town’s investment in succession planning and that the selection of Aronhalt displays how the department is headed in the right direction of providing the services that the community wants.
“I wouldn’t retire if I didn’t think that Chief Aronhalt, Captain Shelhorse and Captain Kemp… could not continue to lead this agency into the future,” Goodman said during his farewell speech at the reception. “My guess is that they will be doing it bigger and better than I ever have been in less than three months.”
Goodman said while he is proud of his contributions to the Town and will miss the daily presence of his staff, he looks forward to spending more time with his family moving forward.
Friday, April 29 & Saturday, April 30
The St. Paul Lutheran Church is holding an “Everything for $1 Yard Sale.” The yard sale will be held rain or shine, inside and outside from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will be located at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 8100 Shady Grove Road, Mechanicsville. The sale will feature linens, kitchenware, home décor, clothes, books, toys, lawn and gardening items, furniture and much more. Hot dogs, drinks and
Fax submissions to calendar to 344-8746, email to events@mechlocal. com, or mail to 8460 Times-Dispatch Blvd., Mechanicsville VA 23116. Deadline is 1 p.m. Thursday for the following week’s issue. Calendar announcements cannot be taken by phone. We reserve the right to edit all items submitted to The Mechanicsville Local.
se CALENDAR, pg. 14
Christina Amano Dolan/The Local
