Chief Birbeck joins Virginia’s House board

Olney Police Chief Dan Birbeck joined the board of directors of Virginia’s House in Graham on Oct. 25, after he was invited to add his expertise to the multi-county agency that advocates for women and children.

“It was an absolute honor to do it,” Chief Birbeck said. “They’re advocates for children and battered women and all of those types of services that are desperately needed, especially in the child advocacy programs that they have. We use them regularly with our cases involving children. It just seemed like the right thing to do and I definitely want to help them in their mission to help others.’

Chief Birbeck joins Young County Sheriff Travis Babock and District Attorney Dee Peavy on the board at Virginia’s House, which started as Young County Family Resource Center as a children’s advocacy center to combat the cycle of violence within families.

The organization became Virginia’s House in 1992, and oversees the Children’s Advocacy Center, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate), Mentor/ Prevention Programs, and Crime Victims Assistance. Virginia’s House serves Young, Stephens, and Throckmorton counties. Board members serve an elected term of three years.

Chief Birbeck said he hopes the appointment helps to restore the legitimacy of the Olney Police Department, which saw two police chiefs forced to resign for misconduct and a third who resigned at the end of his contract. “For me, it’s rebuilding the legitimacy of the Olney Police Department,” Chief Birbeck said. “In years past, the department has struggled and we’re trying to bring legitimacy back to the Olney P.D. and gain the trust of the public. I think we’ve brought it in the last two years, in leaps and bounds. We have more work to do.