Washington, D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham will become the top cop in Prince William County.
The Board of County Supervisors hired Newsham today after a day-long interview session at Old Hickory Golf Club in Woodbridge. He was one of our top four finalists from a pool of 50 candidates who applied for the position, to include acting Police Chief Col. Jarad Phelps, who’s been serving as the county’s top cop since former Chief Barry Barnard retired on June 1.
Prince William County announced the hiring tonight.
Chief Newsham is currently the Chief of Police of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., and has held that position since 2017. Washington, D.C., is a community of over 705,000 residents within 68 square miles and a Police Department of 4,500 total employees.
Chief Newsham joined the Metropolitan Police Department in 1989 and progressed steadily through the ranks to his present rank of Chief of Police. Prior to his current appointment, Chief Newsham served in various capacities within the department – Assistant Chief of Police Investigative Services Bureau, Assistant Chief of Police Internal Affairs Bureau, Assistant Chief of Police Regional Operations Command North, Assistant Chief of Police Office of Professional Responsibility and District Commander.
“Chief Newsham brings a wealth of experience and leadership to this position,” said Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair-At-Large Ann Wheeler.
Chief Newsham earned a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the College of Holy Cross, and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law. He is a member of the Maryland Bar. He has attended numerous police executive trainings and seminars and is actively involved in the Major Cities Chief’s Association and the Police Executive Research Forum. Additionally, he has attended the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) training on Law and Society, and the ADL’s National Counter-Terrorism Seminar in Israel.
“I am excited to join the team and look forward to making a difference in the community,” said Chief Newsham.
Chief Newsham was selected as the top-ranked candidate after a national recruitment process. The County received 50 applications from 16 states and Washington, D.C. The candidates went through an extensive vetting process as part of a contract with a recruiter, GovHR USA. Chief Newsham distinguished himself throughout the intensive recruitment process.
In Prince William, Newsham will oversee a police department that employs about 1,000 people, including nearly 700 sworn police officers.
His hiring comes as the Board of County Supervisors is filling positions on a newly created “Racial and Social Justice” Commission, which stands in addition to the county’s Human Rights Board created in 1992. The social justice commission will spend its first year of existence probing the Prince William County Police Department’s hiring policies and its use-of-force policy following riots in the county that erupted on May 30.
It was the first time a riot occurred in Prince William County.
