NORFOLK, Va. — When members of Virginia law enforcement — be them police officers, state troopers, sheriff's deputies, or prison guards — break the law or run afoul of state code, a process for decertification of their police license goes into play.
It should be noted of the tens of thousands of law enforcement officers in the commonwealth, cases where they break the law or violate code and get decertified are rare.
One recent case on the Eastern Shore of Virginia involved an Accomack County sheriff's deputy named Luke Arnold, who was charged with the assault and battery of a drunk inmate after bodycam video showed him slamming the man's head against a wall while he was cuffed and shackled.
The case led to Arnold being let go from the sheriff's office and decertification. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail — but they were all suspended.
Other cases can involve decertifcation for infractions against the code, which have grown in recent years as the code was revised and expanded through law changes.
According to data provided to the WTKR News 3 Investigative Team by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, six officers were placed on the decertification list in 2019, compared to 83 in 2025 — an increase of 1,283 percent.
Watch related: Virginia sees dramatic rise in police decertificaitons
Violations of truthfulness, which may not lead to job loss in other lines of work, can lead to decertification in the Virginia code, as well as refusal to take a drug test, and falsifying documents.
An analysis of the data showed about one-third of decertifications were for criminal activities.
On this episode of True Crime 757, Jon and Margaret discuss the circumstances of police decertifications and highlight specific recent cases.
Below is a list of decertifications from 2021-2026.
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True Crime 757 is sponsored by Korslund Law
