Gary Settle to lead state police criminal investigation branch
The Virginia State Police is starting the New Year with new leadership in its Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and announced this week it will replace the retiring BCI director, Lt. Colonel Rick A. Jenkins, with Maj. Gary T. Settle of Sperryville.
Rappahannock County native Settle was to take over Jenkins’ position, and rank, as of yesterday (Jan. 25), according to VSP spokesperson Corinne Geller.
Settle’s last promotion came only 18 months ago, when VSP chief Col. W. Steven Flaherty appointed him as BCI deputy director. Before being appointed to the executive staff, Settle served as the BCI commander for the Culpeper field office.
Settle began his law enforcement career in 1984 as a deputy with the Rappahannock County Sheriff’s Office. He joined the state police in 1986 and was assigned to Frederick and Clarke counties as a new trooper. In 1996, he was elected sheriff in Rappahannock County and in 2000 returned to state police. During his tenure with state police, Settle has served as a special agent, sergeant, first sergeant, field lieutenant, DES lieutenant and captain, while assigned to the state police Culpeper and Wytheville divisions.
He was appointed to BCI captain of the Culpeper Field Office in 2010. Settle earned a master’s in homeland security and defense from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif., and holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice Administration. He also completed the University of Virginia National Criminal Justice Command College and the National Sheriff’s Institute Executive Management Program in Colorado.
BCI is the investigative branch of the Virginia State Police and consists of seven field offices across the state. Within each field office is a General Investigative Section (GIS) and a Drug Enforcement Section (DES). The bureau also consists of the High-Tech Crimes Division, Criminal Intelligence Division, Help Eliminate Auto Theft (H.E.A.T.) Unit, Insurance Fraud Unit, and Counter-Terrorism and Criminal Interdiction (CCI) Unit.
Retiring after a distinguished 38-year career with the state police, Lt. Col. Jenkins has served as BCI director since his appointment July 10, 2015. A native of Fauquier County, Jenkins began his state police career in 1978 as a dispatcher in the Culpeper division.