Charles Penn
Chief of Police, Arlington County Police Department
Charles “Andy” Penn was appointed as the 8th Police Chief of the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) on June 4, 2021, following a nine-month appointment as the Acting Chief of Police. Chief Penn is committed to advancing best practices in policing and has implemented many new procedural and technological changes to enhance the service delivery to the community and safety of employees and community members. He is deeply tied to the department’s 4 Key Initiatives which include: Crime Prevention and Control, Transportation Safety, Community Engagement and Employee Wellness and Safety.
Penn is a 33+ year veteran of the ACPD, beginning his career as a patrol officer in 1992. He rose through the ranks and was promoted to Deputy Chief of Police in July 2015. In this role, Penn led the Operations Division, overseeing the daily operations of two Patrol Sections, Community Resource Section, Tactical Operations Section, Operation Support Section and the Special Operations Section. He also led the Systems Management Division, which oversees the Human Resources Management Section, Support Management Section, Training Unit, Tactical Training Unit, Property and Evidence Unit, Procurement and the Fiscal Management Unit. Penn has extensive investigative experience having previously held positions in the Auto Theft Unit, Homicide/Robbery Unit and the Internal Affairs Section.
Penn is committed to being actively engaged in the Arlington community and believes that law enforcement agencies are at their very best when working in collaboration with the communities they serve. Throughout his tenure, he has worked in numerous collaborative partnerships with community organizations, advocacy groups, law enforcement partners and government agencies to develop strong partnerships with community members and businesses to address public safety concerns. Penn is equally committed to the wellbeing and development of ACPD employees and has focused agency efforts to ensure resources are available to support officers and professional staff in both of these areas.
Penn holds a bachelor’s degree from Radford University in criminal justice and a master’s degree in security studies (Homeland Security) from the Naval Postgraduate School, Center for Homeland Defense & Security. He has undertaken study in several educational programs, including the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP), as well as, the FBI National Academy. Penn also serves on the Board of Directors for the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police.
Penn has been married to his wife for over 30 years and they have three adult children.