CHARLESTON,WV— Today, Governor-elect Jim Justice picked Sheriff Jan Cahill to serve as the Superintendent of State Police. Cahill is currently the Sheriff of Greenbrier County. He graduated from Concord University with a B.S. in education and was an adjunct professor for 10 years at New River Community and Technical College.
Jan Cahill began his West Virginia State Police (WVSP) career as a field trooper in 1989. He went on to serve in a variety of roles with the WVSP ranging from Detachment Commander, District Commander, and Drug Task Force Commander. After 23 years, Cahill retired from the WVSP as the Troop Commander Captain in Beckley in 2012. That same year, he was elected as Greenbrier County Sheriff and was re-elected to a second term in 2016.
During his tenure as Sheriff, Cahill re-established the Greenbrier Valley Drug and Violent Crime Task Force which was honored in 2016 by the United States Attorney’s office for the numerous convictions made involving the distribution of heroin and opioids. Cahill served honorably in the United States Marine Corps from 1983-1986.
“Sheriff Cahill’s law enforcement experience will make him a successful superintendent of our state police,” said Governor-elect Jim Justice. “He will lead the WVSP to keep our people safe. I look forward to working with Jan on modernizing the WVSP to better serve the state of West Virginia.”
“I am honored to serve in the Justice Administration and such a storied organization like the West Virginia State Police,” said Sheriff Jan Cahill. “After retiring from the state police five years ago, I am looking forward to coming back with fresh eyes to find new ways to protect the people of West Virginia. It was not an easy decision to leave the sheriff’s office, but I could not pass up this opportunity to help the state I love.”
Sheriff Cahill is a native of Peterstown, WV and now lives in Lewisburg, WV with his wife Selina. They have two daughters, a son-in-law, and a grandson.