The Town of Manteo is pleased to announce its new Manteo Police Department Chief, Brad Eilert! Chief Eilert has over 25 years of law enforcement experience with 16 of those in a supervisory role. He has incredible leadership skills and has helped build positive and effective relationships with stakeholders, staff, and the entire Outer Banks community.
On October 31, 2023 Police Chief Vance Haskett retired, and Eilert was sworn in as Interim Police Chief. Town Manager Melissa Dickerson quickly moved forward with putting together an interview committee consisting of two long-time law enforcement experts, Bill Godley and Scott Parker.
Bill Godley is a retired State Bureau of Investigation Agent and Dare County Sheriff’s Office Lieutenant (currently an auxiliary officer), graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) National Academy and of the North Carolina Administrative Officers Management Program. Mr. Scott Parker currently serves as the Major for Homeland Security and Special Operations for the Wake County Sheriff Department. He served as Deputy Commissioner for the NC Division of Motor Vehicles, the first African American to serve as a U.S. Marshal in the Eastern District of North Carolina, Narcotics Division Commander of the Nash County Sheriff’s Office, Assistant Commander with the Roanoke Chowan Narcotics Task Force, Nashville Police Department Officer, graduate of the FBI National Academy and North Carolina’s Criminal Investigator’s Academy at the NC Justice Academy. Both Mr. Godley and Mr. Parker are recipients of North Carolina’s esteemed Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award, which is the highest award for state service granted by the Office of the Governor.
Town Manager Dickerson, Mr. Godley and Mr. Parker reviewed the 4 applications received and interviewed candidates on Friday, February 16th.
Chief Eilert began his career with the Manteo Police Department in 2019 and previously held the position of Police Lieutenant prior to being named Interim Police Chief. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Old Dominion University and a Master of Arts in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University. In addition, he earned a Law Enforcement Administration Certificate while obtaining his Master’s Degree. Chief Eilert attended the FBI National Academy and the Leadership Institute at the NC Justice Academy, where he earned Certificates in Traffic Investigation, Criminal Investigation and Leadership.
Not only does Chief Eilert have an abundance of training, but he also values the importance of sharing that knowledge and his experiences with other law enforcement officers. He is the School Director for both General Instructor and Speed Measuring Instrument Programs at the College of the Albemarle, Dare Campus, providing instruction and assistance with related classes including the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program.
Chief Eilert was born and raised in Petersburg, VA in a family with deep roots in the law enforcement profession with a total of 93 years of service combined. His father, Stephen, retired as the Police Chief for the Petersburg Bureau of Police (Virginia) and was a graduate of the FBI National Academy, his sister, Stephanie, retired from the Colonial Heights Police Department (Virginia), and his twin brother, Chad, retired from Prince George County (Virginia). Currently, his brother-in-law, Keith Early, serves as the Police Chief for Prince George County (Virginia), adding another 15 years of service. It is not hard understand that with such a strong family history in law enforcement, Chief Eilert was instilled with a passion to help others, and it is truly a family affair.
Since 2001, Chief Eilert has lived on the Outer Banks and moved to Manteo in 2016 with his wife, Becca who is a registered nurse at Outer Banks Hospital. Chief Eilert has two sons, Brayden (18) and Barrett (12) and they attend Manteo schools. He enjoys spending time with family and community and has helped coach his children and others through Dare County Baseball. Chief Eilert is also a member of the Knights of Columbus through the Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Kitty Hawk.
Chief Eilert shared, “I want to thank the Town of Manteo, Board of Commissioners, Town Manager Melissa Dickerson, and the community for giving me the opportunity to lead our police department into the future. We will continue to build trust and positive relationships with our community, stakeholders and law enforcement partners to establish an effective and efficient form of policing. Through innovation and training, we will build upon the capabilities of our very well-trained personnel and adapt to the evolution of law enforcement. We will always strive to be part of the community and provide the best service possible to keep Manteo a safe place to live and visit.”
Town Manager Dickerson stated “The Town of Manteo and its staff are looking forward to continuing our close working relationship with Police Chief Brad Eilert. His accomplishments are many, his relationships with others are held in high regard, and his proven leadership will only help strengthen the Town of Manteo’s commitment to being a safe place to live, work, play, and raise our families. Congratulations Chief Brad Eilert, we are so very proud of you!”