‘The greatest privilege of my life’: Hanover Sheriff’s Office colonel to retire after more than 41 years of service

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Col. David R. Hines, of the Hanover County Sheriff's Office, has announced his plans to retire on March 31, after more than 41 years of service.

The afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 6, Hines expressed his gratitude to county residents and called his time leading the sheriff's office "the greatest privilege of my life" in a letter to the Hanover community. In the letter, he said that Lt. Colonel Gregory Six will finish the rest of his term.

"I am continually humbled by the trust you have placed in each of us, and I am grateful for the extraordinary partnerships that have allowed us to protect and serve with integrity and compassion," Hines wrote in his letter on Tuesday. "I believe the men and women of the Sheriff's Office share this same commitment."

According to Hines, Hanover has recorded its lowest crime rate since 1975 and said this milestone highlights both the hard work and professionalism of the sheriff's office and the strength of relationships with both residents and other community partners.

Hines expressed his confidence that Lt. Col. Six, along with the rest of the sheriff's office, will "lead this agency forward with the same dedication to excellence that has defined who we are as an agency."