2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 213
Commending Ryan Dean.
Agreed to by the Senate, March 10, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 12, 2026
WHEREAS, Ryan Dean, a dedicated and highly experienced law-enforcement officer, retired as chief of the Stanley Police Department on February 26, 2026, after more than a decade of leadership; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Dean, known to family members and friends as “Beaver,” grew up in Shenandoah and graduated from the Central Shenandoah Criminal Justice Training Academy; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Dean began his 31-year career as a law-enforcement officer at the Page County Sheriff's Office in 1994; at only 18 years old, he was one of the youngest deputies in the Commonwealth at the time; and
WHEREAS, Ryan Dean joined the Stanley Police Department in 2000 as a patrol officer and was involved in several notable cases over the course of his career, including in 2014, when he made national news for catching a bank robber; he worked his way up through the ranks to become chief in 2016; and
WHEREAS, as chief of the Stanley Police Department for 10 years, Ryan Dean worked diligently to ensure that his officers had the equipment, training, and support they need to serve and protect members of the public; and