Goochland sheriff’s leadership recognized at Virginia Sheriffs’ conference

Leadership at the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office earned recognition that carries a practical message for residents: the agency is being measured against Virginia standards for training, professionalism and public safety work that touches daily life in Goochland.

The Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute recognized Goochland Sheriff Steven N. Creasey and Major Mike East through its Certification Program, a voluntary effort that the institute says honors continued professional development, excellence, lifelong learning and advancement of public safety. The recognition came during the 2026 VSI Spring Conference, held April 29-May 1 at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott in Norfolk.

VSI says the spring conference is designed to brief sheriffs and deputies on issues affecting their offices from the most recent Virginia General Assembly session. That makes the certification more than a ceremonial nod. For a county agency that handles patrol, investigations, community outreach and education, a 9-1-1 call center, courthouse security, prisoner movement and enforcement of court orders, the award points to the training and policy work behind those services.

Creasey’s path through the department gives the recognition added weight. He joined the Goochland County Sheriff’s Office in 1995 and was elected sheriff in November 2019. VSI’s certified-individuals list also includes Sheriff Steven Creasey, Goochland County Sheriff’s Office, 2022, showing that this is part of an ongoing record rather than a one-time recognition.

The sheriff’s office had previously announced that Creasey and East received VSI Certification awards at a separate VSI ceremony. That places both men among the county’s senior law-enforcement leaders whose professional credentials are being tracked by the state sheriffs’ organization.

For Goochland residents, the practical question is whether recognition like this reflects the kind of office handling calls, courthouse operations and day-to-day enforcement. The answer from VSI’s own program is yes: the certification is meant to promote and elevate the continued individual professional development of Virginia’s sheriffs and deputies. In a county where one office is responsible for everything from emergency calls to prisoner transport and court-order enforcement, that standard matters far beyond the conference hall in Norfolk.