Governor names Petersburg city attorney, Chesterfield Police chief to criminal justice services board

Gov. Glenn Youngkin has appointed Petersburg's city attorney and the chief of the Chesterfield County Police to sit on the state board that sets policy for Virginia's criminal justice system.

Anthony C. Williams is one of six people appointed to the Criminal Justice Services Board this week by the governor. Chesterfield Police Chief Jeff Katz was also selected. Both are first-time members.

The 32-member board is made up of representatives of state and local criminal justice systems, the Virginia General Assembly and private citizens. The board, which meets quarterly, approves all criminal-justice regulations, signs off on most grants the department awards, and offers guidance and feedback on department responsibilities.

Other local representation on the board is Sen. Joe Morrissey of Richmond, whose Senate district includes Petersburg. Morrissey is one of four General Assembly members who serve as non-voting board members.

The other four appointees Youngkin selected are Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman; Tazewell County Sheriff Brian Hieatt; Renee Maxey of Prince Edward County, retired director of Piedmont Court Services; and Col. William Smith of Isle of Wight, superintendent of the Western Tidewater Regional Jail in Suffolk. Smith is a reappointment.

Williams has been Petersburg's city attorney since 2019. He came to Petersburg from Winchester, where he held a similar position for 12 years. He also has served as assistant city attorney in Suffolk and was in private practice with a Portsmouth law firm.

He is the second Petersburg official appointed to a state board by Youngkin. In May, interim City Manager Kenneth Miller was named to the Virginia Commission to Combat Anti-Semitism.

Katz has helmed Chesterfield Police since 2018. He was police chief of Boynton Beach, Florida for five years prior to joining Chesterfield. The county was his first law-enforcement position outside of Florida.

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Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Petersburg official, Chesterfield Police chief named to state board