ASSISTANT CHIEFS TO BE SWORN-IN
PORTSMOUTH, VA — The Portsmouth Police Department is proud to announce that a Swearing-In Ceremony for Assistant Chief Na’Shayla Nelson and Assistant Chief Stephen Jenkins is scheduled for Tuesday, January 25, 2022, at 11 a.m. A livestream of the event will be hosted on the Portsmouth Police Department Facebook Page.
NA’SHAYLA NELSON
Assistant Chief Na’Shayla Nelson is a military veteran who has dedicated her life to public service. In 2007 Assistant Chief Nelson began her law enforcement career as a patrol officer. In subsequent years, she worked in every area of law enforcement including an Investigator in the Major Crimes, Community Policing, Patrol Sergeant, Special Investigations Sergeant, Major Crimes Sergeant, Field Operations Lieutenant, Criminal Investigations Division Lieutenant, Administrative Services Lieutenant, and most recently Chief of Police for the Maxton (NC) Police Department. Assistant Chief Nelson’s assignments have included supervision of specialties to include K-9, Fugitive Apprehension, Narcotic Suppression, Budgeting, and Grant Writing, Training and Recruitment, Emergency Communications, among other assignments. Assistant Chief Nelson is dully certified in Virginia and North Carolina achieving an Advanced Law Enforcement Certification. She is a graduate of the University of Richmond’s 47th Session PELS (Professional Executive Leadership School), North Carolina State University’s 90th Session of AOMP (Administrative Officers Management Program), FBI-LEEDA Trilogy, FBI LEEDA e-Trilogy, and New Chief/Deputy Chief School (VACP). She is also a General Instructor and holds other certifications. Along with her professional certifications, Assistant Chief Nelson holds a Bachelor of Science from Upper Iowa University, two Master Degrees. She holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration with a concentration in Disaster Management from American Military University and a Master of Philosophy from Walden University. Assistant Chief Nelson is a current Doctoral Candidate focusing on Public Policy and Administration from Walden University. She is also an Adjunct Professor at Virginia State University. During her tenure as police chief, she served as the municipality’s Nuisance and Abatement Manager, Emergency Operations Center Point of Contact for the locality. She also served on the Robeson Community College Board of Advisors for the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program, North Carolina Chief of Police Association Training Committee, served as a youth mentor, and volunteered as a member of Continental Societies, Inc and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Lall while being an active member of NOBLE, NAWLEE, and other professional organizations.
STEPHEN JENKINS
Assistant Chief Stephen Jenkins has a long career in law enforcement that began in 1997 with the Department of Juvenile Justice as a Juvenile Correctional officer (Bon Air JCC). He later was hired by the Virginia Department of Corrections to help open Sussex II State Prison where he served as a corrections caseworker in 1998. In 1999, Jenkins took a position and served as a Probation and Parole Officer with District # 2 Norfolk Probation and Parole Office. In 2002, Jenkins attended and completed the Hampton Roads Criminal Justice Training Academy’s Basic Law Enforcement Auxiliary class through the Portsmouth Police Department. Shortly after graduating, Jenkins was hired and served as a Police Officer with Norfolk State University before joining the Portsmouth Police Department. In October 2003, Jenkins began his career as an officer within the Uniform Patrol division but rose through the ranks holding several positions as an Investigator with the department’s Professional Standards Unit (Internal Affairs) and the Property Crimes Unit. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2011. He severed as a supervisor in Uniform Patrol, Property Crimes, and the Major Crimes Unit/Homicide. Jenkins was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 2018. As a Lieutenant, Jenkins has been the commander of the Professional Standards Unit, the Training Division, and the Special Investigation Division supervising the Special Investigations Unit (Narcotics), the Fugitive Apprehension Unit, and the Gang Intelligence Unit. He was appointed Interim Assistant Chief in December 2021. Raised in Chesapeake, Assistant Chief Jenkins attended Deep Creek High School and graduated in 1992. In 1996 he graduated from Virginia State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. Assistant Chief Jenkins is currently a student at Columbia Southern University working on his Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Criminal Justice. Jenkins has had many awards and accomplishments throughout his career. Including becoming a graduate of the Virginia School of Polygraph in 2006, a Meritorious Conduct Medal in 2013, an HR Chamber of Commerce Life Saving Award in 2013, Supervisor of the Year in 2015, American Legion Post 190 Police Officer of the Year in 2016, and an IACP Leadership in Police Organizations — Session 6 in 2018. Jenkins is a member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., Prince Hall Shriner Arabia Temple #12, and the Prince Hall Free and Accepted Masons Lebanon Lodge #43.
