SOUTH HILL, Va. -- New South Hill Police Chief Greg Geist is no stranger to the town located about 80 miles southwest of Richmond off Interstate 85 and Route 58.
Geist, 43, joined the department in 2023 as deputy chief before he was named chief of the 23-man department earlier this month.
"[South Hill] has grown. Even since I've been here. It's growing. Businesses are coming in. We have Microsoft here now. So, yeah, it's nice. It's a good town," Geist said of the 5,000-person community he is sworn to protect.
The FBI National Academy graduate and 20-year law enforcement veteran began his policing career in Petersburg.
As chief, he hopes to provide more training opportunities for his officers.
"Really creating for this department a succession plan for the future, not just looking now, but 5-10, years, hopefully down the road, especially with the younger officers, and giving them goals on how they can achieve those goals. Next man up mentality," Geist said.
He also encourages his officers to follow his lead and engage with the community.
"I like to go to businesses and encourage the officers to go to businesses weekly, just to say, hello. You know, no ulterior motive. But just want to know who each of the officers are," he said.
Geist said while the community does experience some violent crime, property crimes take up the majority of the officers' investigative time.
He said he was looking forward to moving the department headquarters to a new, modern location.
"Maybe two to three years, depending on how long it takes," he said. "I would like to see that from start to finish."
The city is rehabbing an old bank building at the corner of Mecklenburg Avenue and Danville Street into the department's headquarters.
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