Virginia Gleason

Virginia Gleason,Esq. 

Virginia Gleason is a long-time police legal and strategic advisor, focusing on law enforcement systems and accountability.  She started her career as a lawyer in private practice and moved into public service, working on the command staff of four police agencies:  as the Administrative Manager at the Port of Seattle Police Department, the Professional Standards Bureau Manager at the King County Sheriff’s Office, the Chief Strategic Advisor at the Seattle Police Department, and Deputy Director of the Oakland (CA) Police Department.  During that time, she chaired the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chief’s legal advisor committee and presented legal updates to the membership at their bi-annual meetings.  She focuses her work on internal investigations, organizational compliance with laws, ethical practices, employee selection and development, and utilization of data to increase the value and credibility of police services.   

After retiring from the Oakland Police Department at the end of 2020, Virginia continued her support of public safety agencies by offering consulting services, teaching in the Seattle University Criminal Justice Program and teaching for FBI LEEDA. In 2022, she attended Harvard University as a fellow in the Advanced Leadership Initiative, focusing her efforts on helping law enforcement agencies use their data to operate effectively, develop public trust, and communicate with legislative and oversight bodies.  

Course Taught:  Performance Management - Basic  &  Performance Management - Advanced