HAMPTON, Va. - Jimmie Wideman will be the next Chief of Police in the city and reactions to his appointment appear to be positive.
"I know Jimmie Wideman very well. We're friends and I can tell you Jimmie is a straight forward guy. He's going to tell you how it is," said Randy Bowman, a friend and owner of Bowman's Soul-N-The Wall.
On Wednesday, the city announced Wideman would replace Mark Talbot, who left Hampton to become Police Chief of Norfolk.
Hampton
Lifelong Hampton resident Jimmie Wideman becomes police chief in the same city
"Talbot was an excellent police chief. He did some wonderful things for the city of Hampton, but knowing Wideman, I know he's going to continue, and I can see us going in the right direction," said Bowman.
The city of Hampton says Wideman has an extensive law enforcement background. He joined the department in 1994 and worked his way up to become captain before retiring in 2019.
Since then, he's worked as an Intelligence Analyst for the Air Force's Law Enforcement division in Quantico.
Wideman was runner up for the position in 2021, when it went to Talbot.
This time around he initially told the city manager he wasn't in a position to accept the job, but later came back and said he wanted to be considered.
His appointment has drawn generally positive reactions on social media, including from former Chief Terry Sult.
"This is a great selection for the Hampton Police division. Great man, Great leader," Sult wrote in a Facebook comment on the police department's Facebook page.
Wideman will take over a police department facing an increase in homicides in 2023.
So far this year, the city has seen 22 people die in shootings, compared with 24 in all of 2022.
Bowman has faith Wideman will be part of the solution.
"Jimmie Wideman cannot decrease crime by himself. The police department cannot reduce crime by itself. It's going to take the community, so when we have that engagement and the police dialogue, and they're communication and collaborating, I think that's going to be a win-win for the city of Hampton," said Bowman.
Wideman will start on July 31 and earn a salary of $195,000.
