NORFOLK, Va. — Hampton Police Chief Mark Talbot has accepted the position as Norfolk's new police chief, Norfolk confirmed Tuesday.
Sources say Talbot told his team about the move Tuesday.
WATCH: Norfolk's press conference to formally announce Mark Talbot as city's next top cop
"I’m surprised and somewhat disappointed, but I realize people make employment decisions every day," Hampton Mayor Donnie Tuck told News 3 reporter Angela Bohon.
The City of Norfolk says a press conference will be held Wednesday to introduce Talbot as the new Norfolk police chief. The city says he will be the 35th chief in it's 226-year history.
The City of Norfolk put together a search committee to review candidates with members across Hampton Roads, including Chief Talbot.
This comes as the search for the new chief started last year when former chief and current News 3 Law Enforcement Analyst Larry Boone retired in May of 2022.
Deputy City Manager Michael Goldsmith took over as the Interim Chief of Police and announced his retirement effective April 14.
Monday, News 3 Anchor Zak Dahlheimer broke down the search that involved the City of Norfolk going with an executive search firm, holding public forums, getting resident input online, and overall, attracting a pool of roughly 40 applicants.
News 3 talked with Downtown Norfolk resident, Janelle Daugherty, about what she felt about her city turning to a chief from another Hampton Roads city.
"Hampton's not far, so having someone that might be familiar with the area, and hopefully some of our residents, we may be able to trust that we're in good hands," Daugherty said.
Talbot was sworn in as the first black police chief for the City of Hampton in July 2021.
Hampton resident, Ashley Sherwood, had a lot of questions about where her city goes from here when learning about the announcement.
"What are we supposed to do when there's still so much crime, and we have so many issues going on here," Sherwood said. "Where is that going to put us? What are we supposed to do going forward?"
Meanwhile, Daughtery shared what she'd like to see Chief Talbot tackle in his first 100 days as Norfolk's new chief.
"I would say a lot of community outreach," she said. "Come out, talk to people in the area, see what we want, see what we need from policing, [and] to be heard. It's not enough to police us in how they see fit. It's how we see fit too."
Mayor Tuck added, "I think there are there are other things you look at. It’s the leadership. It’s the confidence that the personnel has in following that leader, and I think he’s done a great job in that respect. But, I also believe that despite the loss, we will find a suitable candidate who will inspire individuals as far as keeping that trend of decreasing violent crime."
News 3 obtained a message Hampton City Manager Mary Bunting sent to city officials and the Hampton Police Division Tuesday afternoon.
Bunting said she was shocked to learn about Talbot leaving Hampton for Norfolk.
"First and foremost, I want to assure you that the Hampton Police Division has the City Council’s and my unwavering support. We are proud of the work you are doing. We will ensure that HPD gets an outstanding Chief who can continue to implement strong evidence-based strategies, such as those Chief Talbot brought to Hampton. You deserve, and will get, nothing less," Bunting said.
Bunting added that she has already started conversations with the City Council, the Commonwealth's Attorney, city staff, and community leaders about ensuring a smooth transition.
She plans on visiting Hampton Police to discuss the next steps.
News 3 will have a crew at the formal announcement on Wednesday. Stay with News 3 for updates.
