INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSNewport News, Virginia

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Record status
Listed in source roster
Source date / period
May 2026

Profile details

Page options

Employment record

Public institution
City of Newport News
Department / office / school
Police
Position / title
Chief of Police
Source type
Roster assignment
Classification / role type
Management Schedule
Record status
Listed in source roster
Source date / period
May 2026

The roster records an assignment at the stated date. It does not establish employment status today.

Employment source [1]

Original roster wording & label sources
Name in source
STEVE DREW
Department in source
Police
Position in source
CHIEF OF POLICE

Common job-title abbreviations are expanded for readability. Original wording, job levels and compensation matches are preserved.

Official compensation job classification [4]

Official organization name source [5]

Official website listings

These separately dated website roles and contacts do not replace the original roster assignment or its compensation match.

Steve Drew

Chief of Police · Police

Checked: October 7, 2026

drewsr@nnva.gov

757-928-4300

Official City public-contact directory [2]

Salary & compensation

Published role rate

$238,565.60

This annual amount is matched to the department and job classification. The underlying compensation file does not name employees, so it cannot verify Steve Drew’s individual pay.

September 2026 published dataset; downloaded October 1, 2026. One source pay record matches this department/title. A unique title match is still not direct named-pay evidence.

Compensation source [4]

Contribute a dated public salary record

Public records & case history2

Dated professional records, case roles and court outcomes. Lawsuit allegations are identified separately from findings.

Civil litigation · October 6, 2026

Cline v. Riley

Court of Appeals of Virginia · 1099-25-1

Role in this record: Defendant / appellee. Individual and official capacities as Newport News police officers.

Plaintiff alleged malicious prosecution without probable cause. These are civil allegations, not a misconduct finding.

Documented outcome: The Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of the complaint based on intervening and superseding findings of probable cause. It did not reach the challenge to the separate ruling sustaining Chief Drew's demurrer.

Do not report a merits finding of dishonesty or infer Brady/Giglio designation. Later proceedings have not been verified beyond the cited records.

Identity match & review date

Full first and last name plus Newport News Police Department in the court opinion match the May 2026 roster; source middle initial retained. Reviewed October 10, 2026.

Civil litigation · January 6, 2026

Jones v. Drew

Court of Appeals of Virginia · 1967-24-1

Role in this record: Defendant / appellee. Individual versus official capacity not expressly specified in the reviewed opinion.

Former officer plaintiff alleged that Drew, Riley and Ross instituted criminal proceedings without probable cause; Howser was accused in connection with an internal affairs investigation.

Documented outcome: The Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s pleas in bar and demurrer. The excerpt contains the caption and appellate conclusion; full reasoning is available at the original source.

Do not transfer capacities stated in Cline to this case. Later proceedings have not been verified beyond the cited records.

Identity match & review date

Full first and last name plus Newport News Police Department in the court opinion match the May 2026 roster; source middle initial retained. Reviewed October 10, 2026.

Brady/Giglio status has not been established here. A lawsuit, decertification decision or third-party database entry does not by itself establish inclusion on a prosecutor’s list. List access and research gaps.

Notes6

Chief of Police. The Chisholm report asks whether the department reviewed the detention or changed training after the appellate ruling. A request for an explanation is not a finding of personal misconduct.

Source date: September 30, 2026

Chisholm court report [9]

Richmond Police’s May 24, 2018 departure announcement states that Drew was sworn in as a Richmond officer in July 1993 and later served as deputy chief for Patrol Operations and Business Services. It also records service in Special Investigations, command of Second Precinct, and leadership of Support Services, which included Major Crimes, Special Investigations and Special Operations.

Reviewed: October 15, 2026

Richmond Police career announcement, May 24, 2018 [10]

On November 11, 2010, Richmond Police announced Drew’s promotion from captain to major at a ceremony scheduled for the following day. The notice said he then led the Major Crimes Division and would oversee Operations Area 1, including First and Second Precincts.

Reviewed: October 15, 2026

Richmond Police promotion announcement, November 11, 2010 [11]

A May 24, 2018 announcement published by the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police named Drew as Newport News’ next police chief and said he would begin the position on July 2, 2018.

Reviewed: October 15, 2026

VACP appointment announcement, May 24, 2018 [12]

The City’s June 29, 2018 announcement records that Drew took the oath as Newport News police chief on June 28, 2018, after serving as Richmond’s deputy chief.

Reviewed: October 15, 2026

City of Newport News swearing-in announcement, June 29, 2018 [13]

A 2023 speaker biography published by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services reports that Drew holds a bachelor’s degree from Urbana University and a master’s degree in business from Colorado State University. It describes earlier Richmond assignments as a narcotics sergeant, Homeland Security lieutenant and homicide captain.

Reviewed: October 15, 2026

Virginia DCJS 2023 School Safety Training Forum biography, page 5 [14]

Being mentioned in a report does not itself establish wrongdoing.

References15

  1. City FOIA Employees by PositionEmployee roster · Period: May 2026 · Tracker row ID 1604 · Source page 18
  2. Official City public-contact directoryOfficial public listing · Checked: October 7, 2026
  3. Official City staff directoryOfficial public listing · Checked: June 28, 2026
  4. Employee compensation — September 2026Compensation dataset · Document date: September 1, 2026 · Downloaded: October 1, 2026 · Checked: October 1, 2026 · Period: September 2026 published dataset; downloaded October 1, 2026 · Source department: Police · Job classification: CHIEF OF POLICE
  5. Official organization name sourceOrganization label source · Checked: October 8, 2026
  6. City of Newport News — Police DepartmentPhoto source · Checked: October 1, 2026
  7. Cline v. Riley — Court of Appeals opinion, 1099-25-1Court record · Document date: October 6, 2026 · Reviewed: October 10, 2026 · PDF pages: 3, 4, 5, 13
  8. Jones v. Drew — opinion excerpt, 1967-24-1Court record · Document date: January 6, 2026 · Reviewed: October 10, 2026 · PDF pages: 1, 2
  9. Chisholm court reportPublished reporting · Published: September 30, 2026
  10. Richmond Police career announcement, May 24, 2018Professional record · Reviewed: October 15, 2026 · Period: May 24, 2018 agency career announcement · May 24 post, “Richmond’s Deputy Chief Drew Named Newport News Police Chief,” first two paragraphs.
  11. Richmond Police promotion announcement, November 11, 2010Professional record · Reviewed: October 15, 2026 · Period: November 11, 2010 promotion announcement · November 11 post, “Richmond Police Promotes 3 in Its Ranks,” first three paragraphs.
  12. VACP appointment announcement, May 24, 2018Professional record · Reviewed: October 15, 2026 · Period: May 24, 2018 appointment announcement · Title, publication date and final paragraph.
  13. City of Newport News swearing-in announcement, June 29, 2018Professional record · Reviewed: October 15, 2026 · Period: June 28, 2018 oath; June 29, 2018 announcement · “Steve Drew Officially Sworn In as Newport News Chief of Police,” opening paragraph.
  14. Virginia DCJS 2023 School Safety Training Forum biography, page 5Professional record · Reviewed: October 15, 2026 · Period: 2023 published speaker biography · PDF page: 5 · PDF and printed page 5, “CHIEF STEVE DREW.”
  15. Directory sources and verificationMethodology