Ken Stolle

As one of six children in a Navy family, Sheriff Ken Stolle grew up in and out of the Hampton Roads area. In 1971, the Stolle family permanently settled in Virginia Beach, where Ken graduated from Cox High School. Ken is serving his second term as Sheriff of Virginia Beach, after having been elected in 2009 and 2013. He previously served in the Virginia Senate as the Republican Leader Pro Tempore and represented the 8th Senatorial District, located in the eastern half of Virginia Beach.

Prior to being elected to the Senate in 1991, Ken was a partner with the Virginia Beach law firm of Bennett and Stolle, P.C. He was a sergeant in the Virginia Beach Police Department, where he served from 1976 until 1987. He also served as an intelligence officer in the United States Naval Reserve. Over the past decade, Ken has been the leading advocate for public safety at the state and local levels.

As a member of the Senate, Ken championed stricter penalties for gang activity, abolished parole and enhanced DUI penalties. As chairman of the Crime Commission, Ken sponsored new legislation to strengthen Virginia’s sex offender monitoring laws. He led the charge for increased retirement benefits for state and local police officers, deputy sheriffs and firefighters and supported improvements to the Line of Duty Act in order to make certain the children and spouses of fallen or disabled public safety officers are appropriately cared for.

He carried landmark measures to support small business, protect the consumer and eliminate and cut taxes. He supported education, including by ensuring K-12 was fully funded.

In addition to serving on the Board for Virginia FREE, the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association, Fraternal Order of Police, Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, Chiefs of Police and State Police Association have recognized Ken with their highest awards.