Chief of Police
Joseph D. Tucker
Joseph.Tucker@Harrisonburgva.gov
Joseph Tucker serves as Chief of Police for the Harrisonburg Police Department, bringing a community-centered, data-informed approach to public safety and a strong commitment to partnership, accountability, and service.
Chief Tucker joined the City of Harrisonburg after serving with the Lynchburg Police Department, where he rose through the ranks from patrol officer to detective and lieutenant. In Lynchburg, he served as East Division Lieutenant and Crisis Negotiation Commander, earning a reputation for integrity, innovation, and collaborative leadership.
Throughout his law enforcement career, Chief Tucker has focused on developing policing strategies that reduce crime while strengthening trust between officers and the communities they serve. At the Lynchburg Police Department, he founded the Violent Crime Reduction Team, using data, intelligence, and coordinated enforcement efforts to address gun violence and improve public safety outcomes. His work contributed to the recovery of more than 100 illegal firearms in one year and supported broader reductions in violent crime and overall crime.
Chief Tucker is especially committed to sustained, meaningful community engagement. Since arriving in Harrisonburg, he has prioritized listening to residents, learning the needs of the community, and building relationships with members of the Harrisonburg Police Department. His leadership philosophy emphasizes working with community members to create long-term improvements in safety, trust, and quality of life.
Chief Tucker’s service has earned local, state, and national recognition. He was named Lynchburg Police Department Officer of the Year in 2020, honored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police as a “40 Under 40” leader, and was given the Lynchburg Police Star for extraordinary bravery.
As Chief of Police, Joseph Tucker is focused on leading the Harrisonburg Police Department with professionalism, transparency, and compassion. His vision is to advance innovative policing strategies that address crime, support officer development, and build sustainable, trust-based relationships across The Friendly City.
Deputy Chief
Rod Pollard
Rod.Pollard@harrisonburgva.gov
Rod Pollard serves as Deputy Chief of Support Services and has been with HPD for 25 years. He has held many roles during his tenure, such as Operations Bureau Commander, Criminal Investigations Division Commander, SWAT Commander, Patrol Operations Division Commander, Special Operations Division Commander, and other leadership positions within the department. As the Deputy Chief of Support Services, he is responsible for recruitment, hiring, testing, professional development, and training for the department. He also oversees numerous divisions – such as Traffic, Professional Standards, and the Community Resources Unit, among other responsibilities. Pollard is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Southern Police Institute Command Officer Development Course and has worked in the area since first serving as a Deputy Sheriff at the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office in 1994. He began several initiatives with HPD, including the Tactical Patrol Unit program, the Mental Illness Crisis Team and the Shop with a Cop event, and has served as a coordinator for the Restorative Justice program, among other leadership initiatives.
Special Operations Division Captain
Evan Keirce
Evan.Keirce@Harrisonburgva.gov
Evan Keirce began his law enforcement career at HPD in 2017 after graduating from JMU with a degree in criminology. He spent a majority of his career on night shift patrol as an officer and field training officer then as a sergeant before being selected as the Professional Standards supervisor in 2024.
He has been a member of the Special Weapons and tactics (S.W.A.T.) Team for seven years, a member of the Forensic Evidence Team, and is a DCJS certified firearms instructor, defensive tactics instructor, and Combined Tactical Systems (CTS) less lethal impact and chemical munitions instructor.
Patrol Operations Captain
Lisa Best
Lisa.Best@Harrisonburgva.gov
Lisa Best’s public service career began in the United States Army, where she served as a Military Police Officer before receiving an honorable discharge. In January 2001, she began her law enforcement career with the Charlottesville Police Department in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Early in her career, she served as a patrol officer before being selected for assignment to the Jefferson Area Drug Enforcement (JADE) Task Force, where she worked as an undercover narcotics investigator. Following her assignment with JADE, she returned to the Field Operations Division, serving as a patrol officer for seven years. During that time, she also served as a Field Training Officer for four years, mentoring and evaluating newly hired officers.
Lisa was later assigned to the Major Crimes Unit as a detective, where she served for eight years investigating robberies, aggravated assaults, sexual offenses, and homicides. As the lead detective on numerous major investigations, she managed complex cases, including two homicide investigations that garnered national media attention.
Throughout her career, she held a variety of specialized and leadership assignments, including Accreditation Manager, Training and Hiring Manager, and Internal Affairs. She was promoted to Sergeant, serving as supervisor of both the midnight and evening patrol shifts, and later promoted to Lieutenant, where she commanded the evening patrol bureau and the department’s Field Training Officer Program simultaneously. She has enjoyed serving as a certified firearms instructor for many years, and a general instructor specializing in search warrant writing, UOF report writing, elder fraud and abuse, child abuse, and more. Her experience includes extensive coordination and management of major crime scenes involving homicides, multiple shootings, and many other critical incidents.
She is a graduate of The School of Executive Leadership, from the Center for American and International Law, Institute for Law Enforcement Administration in Plano Texas. She has extensive experience directing personnel and operations during large-scale public events, demonstration events and critical law enforcement responses.
Criminal Investigations Division Captain
Chris Watson
Chris.Watson@Harrisonburgva.gov
Captain Chris Watson was born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley and has been with the Harrisonburg Police Department since 2002. He has served a variety of roles in the department, including the C.H.A.R.G.E. Gang Task Force, Corporal over Community Action, Corporal over Internal Affairs, Sergeant over the Professional Standards Unit, Patrol Lieutenant, and most recently, Administrative Division Lieutenant. He spent the majority of his career in the R.U.S.H. Drug Task Force, working to identify, target, investigate, and prosecute those individuals and organizations that distribute and or manufacture quantities of narcotics in the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area. Captain Watson has also been instrumental in the creation and implementation of many department programs, like the Weed and Seed Initiative, the Asset Forfeiture Program, and the Field Training Program. He has served in a variety of specialties, including K9, Honor Guard Commander, Bike Patrol, and Field Training Officer. Captain Watson completed the National Criminal Justice Command College (NCJCC) through the University of Virginia, the FBI-LEEDA Trilogy (Supervisory Leadership Institute, Command Leadership Institute, and Executive Leadership Institute), and is a DCJS Certified General Instructor.