Chief Dean’s last day will be Feb. 26; recommends promoting from within
By Randy Arrington
STANLEY — After capping off a decade as chief and more than three decades in law enforcement, Stanley Police Chief Ryan “Beaver” Dean will be stepping down from his life-long career at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26 — exactly five years since the fatal shooting of Officer Dominic “Nick” Winum while in the line of duty on Judy Lane.
“I will be retiring on February 26, 2026 which is the anniversary of the loss of Nick,” Chief Dean stated in response to questions from PVN. “I was eligible to retire with full benefits December 1, 2025. After many conversations with my wife and Kara [Winum], the fifth anniversary of Nick just seemed like it was the most fitting and hopefully another way to just honor his legacy.”
Chief Dean publicly stated his intentions in mid-December when he formally announced his plans to members of the Stanley Council during their December meeting.
“I started seriously thinking about my retirement in August of 2025 after I had a health scare dealing with my back/neck in which I had to have surgery and was off for a couple months,” Chief Dean told PVN. When asked if Officer’s Winum’s death played a role in his decision to end his career, he responded: “I think the loss of Nick affected everyone involved and it made all of us question our choice of profession. It was emotionally, mentally and physically hard to go through.”
Dean began his career in 1994 at the age of 18, when he started out at the Page County Jail. He would remain there until January of 1997, when he got the opportunity to fill a position as a patrol deputy. In June of 2000, Dean became an officer in the Stanley Police Department, where he worked his way up from Sergeant, to First Sergeant and was eventually named Chief in January of 2016.
“The decision to retire after more than 31 years was a very tough decision,” Chief Dean stated. “I still enjoy what I do and the Town of Stanley and the Mayor and Town Council have been great to work with throughout the years. Anyone that has been around me knows that I enjoy talking, whether it be about law enforcement, hunting, family or anything else that may come up. I will definitely miss the job and most of all the good people and friends that I have met.”
On Monday, Nov. 10, the Luray Council came out of closed session to unanimously vote in favor of Dean becoming the newest member of the group. The retiring police chief attended his first Luray Council meeting in December and is filling the remainder of Councilman Alex White’s term, which extends through Dec. 31, 2026. White left the Council after relocating to attend Yale Law School.
“After retirement I plan to continue working. I’m not the type of person to sit around and not do anything,” Chief Dean said. “I will hopefully spend some much-needed time off at the Outer Banks, as well as concentrate more on the Luray Town Council position.”
During the Dec. 10 Stanley Council meeting, Chief Dean made a parting recommendation to Council members: Hire Captain Rebecca Jenkins as the next Police Chief of Stanley. He talked of the benefits of “promoting from within” and proclaimed his confidence in her ability to perform the duties of Chief.
“I recommended Rebecca for the Chief’s position because she and I have worked side by side for the past several years and there is no doubt that she has the ability and would be a perfect fit for the town,” Chief Dean told PVN. “She is a very hard working and dedicated woman that will put in as many hours as it takes to make sure the job is done correctly. The officers at Stanley know and respects Rebecca. I feel that it would be a smooth transition.”
If appointed, Jenkins would become the first female to hold a top administrative position in law enforcement (chief or sheriff) in Page County. She has served several roles within the Stanley Department, including School Resource Officer (SRO) for Stanley Elementary, and was promoted to sergeant in May of 2023.
For more information on the Town of Stanley,
•••
RELATED ARTICLES
Stanley Police Chief appointed to Luray Council
VIDEO ~ Page Valley Livin’ remembers Officer Winum
Winum Memorial Bridge dedicated along Shenandoah’s South Fork for fallen Stanley officer
Winum Playground dedicated at Hawksbill Park
New Jersey firefighters descend on Hawksbill Park to build Winum playground in three days
Celebration focuses on life and legacy of ‘Nick’ Winum in public service rather than his death
Be the first to comment