Moore comes full circle

Stoneville council members voted 3-2 Tuesday evening to appoint Lt. Frank Moore as the town’s new police chief.

A 24-year law enforcement veteran, Moore said the news fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams.

“Naturally, it’s something that has been in the back of my mind since I started on this road years ago,” he said.

Moore spent his first years as an officer with the Stoneville police department, working part of that time alongside another rookie officer – former Stoneville chief Mike James. James resigned as chief Nov. 16 to become director of the county’s newly formed Gang Prevention and Crime Scene Investigation Unit.

A 1983 graduate of Stoneville High School, Moore returned to join his hometown’s small force after completing Basic Law Enforcement Training in 1985. He teamed with James, another hometown officer, in 1986-87.

Moore moved on to work for the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the Madison and Mayodan police departments. He also became a dispatcher with the county’s 911 communications center, and continues to work there as a supervisor.

Moore could not help but reflect on the way his path always seemed to cross that of James through the years. In addition to serving together as rookies on the Stoneville force, both men worked with the Sheriff’s Office and the central communications center.

“I always thought it was ironic that I was his supervisor at C-Comm and then he became my boss here,” Moore said. “Now, he moves on to take a new job and I move into his.”

Moore and Maj. Roger Moore were the two Stoneville officers interviewed by council members prior to Tuesday’s decision. Town Administrator Kevin Baughn said there were other applicants for the chief’s job, but the town wanted to keep the position within the force.

Baughn said the council leaned toward Moore because he had been full-time with the department since Feb. 2008, while Hair only became full-time two months ago.

Moore said Hair would continue full-time with the department, serving as his second in command.

“I really don’t plan to make a lot of changes,” Moore said. “Chief James left things in good order and I want to step back and take my time getting used to the new responsibilities before I tackle changing any procedures.”

Moore will continue working at the 911 center. He will be in the chief’s office on days he is off there and Hair will be in charge the other days.

One of Moore’s first duties as chief will be to find a replacement officer for his former full-time position, as well as one additional full-time officer.

“First we have to get the department up to full force, then we can start looking at other things,” Moore said. “But staffing will have to take first place right now – or at least second after I find some place to file all this paperwork on my desk.”