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There’s a new sheriff in town – literally. Tony A. McFaddin Jr. was sworn in as the next sheriff of Rockbridge County and Lexington on Dec. 20, and assumed his new duties at midnight on Jan. 1.
He succeeds Steve Funkhouser, who retired at the end of the year, a year into his second term. McFaddin will serve as sheriff until a special election is held. The Board of Supervisors and Lexington City Council have both requested that the special election be held this November.
McFaddin, a Rockbridge County native, is a graduate of Natural Bridge High School and holds an associate’s degree in criminal justice from Eastern Gateway Community College. He served in the United States Marine Corps for four years before returning to Rockbridge County in 1995 to begin his career in law enforcement.
During his nearly 30 years in law enforcement, McFaddin has served Rockbridge County as a special enforcement officer, a patrol deputy, a domestic violence/sexual assault investigator, a drug investigator, a K-9 deputy, and an investigations sergeant before leaving the county to become a Virginia Conservation police officer in 2007.
McFaddin rose to the rank of senior police officer with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries before returning to the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office in 2013 as an investigator. In 2015, McFaddin was promoted to lieutenant and tasked with supervising investigations, special enforcement, and the Community Response Team. In 2016, Sheriff Blalock selected McFaddin to serve as his chief deputy. In 2019, Sheriff Funkhouser also selected McFaddin to serve as his chief deputy.
“It is an honor to have served the people of Rockbridge County and Lexington City for the past 29 years as a law enforcement officer and to now serve as sheriff,” he said. “I want to express my gratitude to all the leaders, mentors, and friends that have influenced and inspired me throughout my life. Their guidance and advice have helped me achieve this awesome responsibility and public trust. “
McFaddin also thanked Funkhouser for his service to the community and country. “He has devoted a lifetime of service as a soldier, a deputy, an investigator, and as the sheriff of Rockbridge County and Lexington,” he said.
“I look forward to continuing to serve our community and leading the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office into the future through transparency, integrity, and accountability,” he continued. “I will provide my team with the resources they need to succeed as they serve our community. Together we will continue building upon the strong relationships we have with the people we serve, community partners, and stakeholders. During my time as sheriff, my team and I will continuously be guided by our mission: ‘We will perform in such a manner that promotes the public’s trust, confidence, and sense of safety and security.”
McFaddin is a certified Department of Criminal Justice Services general instructor as well as a defensive tactics instructor. He is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Center for Public Safety School of Police Staff and Command, the Virginia Forensic Science Academy, the Central Shenandoah Criminal Justice Training Academy, and the Virginia Conservation Police Academy. McFaddin has also earned the professional certification for deputy sheriffs from the Virginia Sheriff’s Institute.
McFaddin has been presented numerous awards, including the Mothers Against Drunk Driving DUI Enforcement award and the “Man of Vision” Award from Virginians Allied Against Sexual Assault.
McFaddin currently serves on the board of directors for the Rockbridge Area Department of Social Services, Mountain Gateway Community College, and the Mountain Gateway Community College Real Estate Foundation. He has also been appointed to the advisory board for the Mountain Gateway Community College Criminal Justice Program. He is an avid local photographer and lives in the Lexington area of Rockbridge County with his wife Becky. They have raised five children.
