In June 2023, Mayor Diane Marlin appointed Larry D. Boone as the Chief of Police for the Urbana Police Department. Chief Boone, a nationally recognized figure in crime reduction and community-police relations, previously served as a gubernatorial appointee for the Virginia African American Advisory Board (VAAAB) and the Virginia State Crime Commission in Norfolk, Virginia. His law enforcement career began in 1989 as a patrol officer in Norfolk, where he eventually became the Chief of Police from 2016 to 2022.
Chief Boone has garnered national recognition, receiving awards such as the 2018 National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) Attorney General Eric Holder Leadership Award. In 2020, he was acknowledged by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) for building trust through community programs and gained further recognition nationally and internationally for his management of civil unrest in Norfolk following the killing of George Floyd.
Throughout his career, Chief Boone has implemented policies and programs aligned with The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, fostering a culture of highly ethical, high-performing officers who embrace diversity and inclusion, treating everyone with dignity and respect. Chief Boone holds a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from Georgia Southern University, where he also played football, winning two national titles in 1985 and 1986. He furthered his education at Old Dominion University, earning a Master's Degree in Public Administration. Chief Boone is a graduate of the FBI National Academy (241st session) and the FBI National Executive Institute (41st session) in Quantico, Virginia.