NEWS RELEASE Contact: Chief Cynthia McAlister FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE cmcalister@purcellvilleva.gov, 540-338-7422
PURCELLVILLE POLICE SWEAR-IN NEW OFFICER
PURCELLVILLE, Va., May 9, 2023 — The Purcellville Police Department is pleased to announce the addition of their newest officer, Jonathan Simmons. A formal swearing-in ceremony was held yesterday morning on May 8, 2023 at the Purcellville Town Hall in the Council Chambers. The Honorable Gary Clemens, Clerk of the Circuit Court, performed the swearing in, with members of the Purcellville Police Department and Town employees in attendance for the ceremony.
Officer Simmons joins the Department as a pre-certified law enforcement lateral transfer due to his previous experience as a Conservation Police Officer for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). His current certification by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) allows him to participate in a condensed field training program of approximately six weeks before he will be released to solo patrol.
Officer Simmons graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Wildlife and Fisheries Science. He then worked for the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources as Nuisance Black Bear Technician capturing and relocating nuisance/problematic bears and conducted wildlife telemetry on radio collard wild bears. Officer Simmons began his law enforcement career with the Kansas City Department of Wildlife and Parks as a Conservation Officer (Game Warden), then returned east to join the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. Officer Simmons served the DWR for 18 years and retired as a Master Conservation Police Officer in the fall of 2022. He then left Virginia to be closer to family in South Carolina, joining the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office. However, Virginia was never far from his heart, and he elected to return to Virginia and join the Purcellville Police Department.
During his time with the DWR, Officer Simmons gained extensive experience in the areas of criminal investigation, traffic and drug enforcement, as well as apprehension of individuals both Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and Boating Under the Influence (BUI). Officer Simmons enjoys community policing, and is excited to engage with and get to know our community members in Purcellville.
Please join us in welcoming Officer Simmons to the Town of Purcellville and the Purcellville Police Department.
