Our Instructors

Wayne Handley

Wayne Handley is a 23-year law enforcement veteran currently serving at the Chief of Police for the City of Buena Vista, Virginia. Prior to his service with the Buena Vista Police Department, Chief Handley served 20 years with the Norfolk Police Department in Norfolk, VA where he retired as a Captain. During his tenure with the NPD, he served in multiple capacities in field operations, investigative services, and administrative services. His collateral duties on the NPD included polygraph examiner and supervisor, hostage/crisis negotiator and supervisor, and training instructor. As the Commanding Officer of the Training Division, he utilized his experience in planning and development of training programs to evaluate and improve the training services delivered to officers of the NPD. Following his service with the Norfolk Police Department, Chief Handley served 3 years with the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office serving as the Chief of Staff and overseeing day-to-day operations for the organization.

Chief Handley was awarded the Top Cop award twice: once for investigation of gang-related homicides that led to a significant number of arrests and convictions and once for the development of the NPD’s Crisis Intervention Team training program. Prior to his service with the City of Norfolk, he spent 5 years as a Nationally Registered EMT – Paramedic and an Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor and was also honorably discharged from the Unites States Marine Corps after a successful tour of duty from 1990-1995.

Wayne’s formal education includes a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics and a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He is currently a doctoral candidate at Old Dominion University where he is finishing his Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. Additionally, he has lectured both nationally and internationally on the topics of trauma and resiliency in mental health counseling as well as vicarious traumatization in law enforcement. Wayne was also published in the 2019 edition of the Public Interest Law Review from the University of Richmond Law School on the topic of vicarious traumatization in public service lawyering.