Humberto “Hum” Cardounel Jr. was sworn in as Henrico County’s police chief during a ceremony Friday, April 15 at the Henrico County Government Center.
Cardounel, who assumes the rank of colonel, joined the Henrico Police Division as a patrol officer and a SWAT Team medic in 1988. He served most recently as deputy chief for the Investigative Bureau and a member of the chief’s executive staff.
County Manager John A. Vithoulkas announced April 5 that Cardounel had been selected as the county’s new police chief. He succeeds Douglas A. Middleton, who had served as chief since 2011 and now works as deputy county manager for public safety.
Cardounel has risen through the agency’s ranks from officer and investigator to sergeant, command sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major and now colonel. He also has served as deputy chief for the Patrol Bureau, led the Criminal Investigations Section, developed and implemented the Homeland Security Section, and provided leadership and service to the Training Academy, Internal Affairs Unit, Media Relations Unit, Organized Crime Section and Personnel Unit.
A graduate of Douglas S. Freeman High School, Cardounel holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Richmond and a master’s degree in public administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.
As police chief, Cardounel oversees an agency responsible for providing law enforcement for Henrico’s more than 325,000 residents and a community covering 244 square miles. The Police Division has 624 sworn police officers and a budget of $69.2 million for fiscal 2015-16.
