Urbana names retired Norfolk, VA Chief as the next Chief of Police

New Urbana police chief Larry Boone featured in a Norfolk, VA police department Facebook video.

URBANA – The retired police chief of Norfolk, Virginia will be the next chief of police of the city of Urbana.

Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin announced on Tuesday morning that the Urbana City Council unanimously approved Larry Boone, as the next Chief of Police.

Boone retired as police chief in Norfolk in 2022 after a 33-year law career.

“I am incredibly honored and humbled to have the opportunity to be only a part of the meaningful change that’s going to occur here in Urbana – I won’t let you down,” Chief Boone said in a statement issued by the city.

Mayor Marlin says Boone’s appointment lasts until June 30, 2025.

Boone holds a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design from Georgia Southern University and a Master of Public Administration from Old Dominion University. 

His experience includes being a patrol officer, special enforcement division/metro-tac officer, K-9 officer, internal affairs, detective, homeland security division, corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, assistant chief, and deputy chief. He served as the police chief for the last six years of his tenure at Norfolk Police Department.

 

Reginald Hardwick

Reginald Hardwick is the News & Public Affairs Director at Illinois Public Media. He oversees daily newscasts and online stories. He also manages The 21st Show, a live, weekday talk show that airs on six NPR stations throughout Illinois. He is the executive producer of IPM's annual environmental TV special "State of Change." And he is the co-creator of Illinois Soul, IPM's Black-focused audio service that launched in February 2024. Before arriving at IPM in 2019, he served as News Director at WKAR in East Lansing and spent 17 years as a TV news producer and manager at KXAS, the NBC-owned station in Dallas/Fort Worth. Reginald is the recipient of three Edward R. Murrow regional awards, seven regional Emmy awards, and multiple honors from the National Association of Black Journalists. Born in Vietnam, Reginald grew up in Colorado and is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado. Email: rh14@illinois.edu Twitter: @RNewsIPM