Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry has announced that he will retire on July 1. Perry made the announcement in a letter posted on the sheriff’s office’s Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon.
“For over 30 years I have served the citizens of Henry County through the Sheriff’s Office. In that time, I’ve served in many capacities such as corrections, patrol, criminal investigations and drug investigations. Then I began serving in progressive supervisory capacities. Almost 17 years ago, I was privileged to be elected to serve as Sheriff. Through all of this I have enjoyed serving thecitizens. In that, I am announcing that I will not be seeking re-election this year. I am retiring as Sheriff of Henry County on July 1st of this year.It has been a pleasure serving and I am very thankful of all of the working relationships that have helped me succeed in my career. I wish the absolute best for the citizens and the County as I look forward to what God has in store in front of me.Thank you,Sheriff Lane A. Perry”
Major Wayne Davis will be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel (Chief Deputy). Upon Sheriff Perry’s official retirement in July, Chief Deputy Davis will seek to be appointed interim Sheriff. Chief Deputy Davis will fulfill the remainder of Perry’s term, which lasts until December 31, 2023.
Chief Deputy Davis has served in various capacities within the Henry County Sheriff’s Office since his appointment as a Deputy Sheriff in 2000. Over the years, he has risen through the ranks,
earning the position of Investigator in 2003, Sergeant and Lieutenant in the Patrol Division, and Lieutenant of Criminal Investigations, where he oversaw major criminal investigations cases. Davis served as Captain of Investigations from 2016, supervising various units within the department and fulfilling additional duties such as Internal Affairs Investigations and Public Information Officer. Additionally, Davis has been a member of the Sheriff’s Office SWAT team for 21 years, serving as the SWAT Commander for the past seven years.
In March 2023, Davis was promoted to the position of Major. With his notable achievements, Davis is a Virginia Forensic Science Academy graduate, and he is nationally certified in internal affairs investigations. Recently, in February 2023, he attained the Virginia Sheriff’s Institute Certification, and he will be awarded at the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute Spring Conference in April. The Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute Certification Program recognizes the commitment of Virginia sheriffs and deputies to excellence, lifelong learning, and the advancement of public safety as a profession.