Christopher Norris has been working in public service for more than 30 years, beginning with joining the Glasgow First Aid Crew at age 16. He later joined the Glasgow Fire Department and was named Rookie of the Year and Firefighter of the Year and served as the organization’s vice president.
He began working in law enforcement in 1989, working as a dispatcher for the Lexington Police Department until 1993. After a brief stint away from the county, he returned, working initially as a retail loss prevention manager before becoming a code enforcement officer for the county. In that role, he received training in hazardous materials response, emergency management and animal control.
Norris began working for the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office in 2004 when he was hired as a deputy sheriff by Sheriff Bob Day. With the sheriff’s office, he served as a patrol officer, as an FBItrained sniper on the SWAT team, and was certified as a general instructor, speed measurement instructor and a firearms instructor.
A passion for working with youth led him to serve as a school resource officer, a role he held at Maury River Middle School, Rockbridge County High School and finally Natural Bridge Elementary School where he finished his career as a deputy sheriff, retiring in 2023.
He currently serves as a police officer with the Carilion Clinic Police Department, allowing him to “continue my lifelong mission of protecting and serving the people of our community.”
“Many people may not know that public service runs deep in my family’s history,” he told The News-Gazette. “Several of my relatives have proudly worn the badge and served their communities. My great-great-grandfather, L.T. Mundy, served as sheriff of Botetourt County, and my great-grandfather on my father’s side, Joseph Leaston Pellicer, was a police officer in Flagler County, Florida. My uncle, Frank Mundy, shared stories from his own service that inspired me to pursue a career in law enforcement.
“I am proud of my Hispanic heritage on my father’s side and value the culture and traditions it represents,” he added. “While my family stopped speaking Spanish generations ago, I have continued to study the language and deepen my connection to my roots.”
One of the most common kinds of crime in the county are drugrelated offenses, which is an issue Norris says is “deeply personal” to him.
“I have lost family members to drug overdose and have witnessed firsthand the pain, devastation, and lasting impact it has on the loved ones left behind,” he said. “My commitment is to approach this challenge with both determination and compassion, working to protect our community while supporting efforts to prevent such tragedies from happening to other families.”
If elected sheriff, Norris says he will work to strengthen efforts to address those kinds of crime by increasing resources for enforcing existing laws and by collaborating with legislators “to ensure our state statutes align with the new federal fentanyl classification and corresponding penalties.
“By addressing the opioid trafficking crisis at the local level, we can take meaningful steps toward reducing the tragic loss of life caused by fentanyl overdoses,” he said.
Norris also said that he would make anti-drug awareness “a permanent part of every student’s curriculum.”
“By teaching the dangers of illegal and misused prescription drugs early, we can reduce experimentation and prevent lives from being destroyed by addiction,” he said.
Protecting victims of domestic and inter-family violence is another issue that Norris says will be “a top priority” for him as sheriff. He plans to do this by continuing the Lethality Assessment Program which allows officers to “quickly assess risk and connect victims to a 24-hour hotline for immediate support.” He will also strengthen the partnership with Project Horizon “to provide shelter, advocacy and prevention programs.”
“A rapid, coordinated response to domestic calls —focused on safety, resources, and legal support — will be central to my approach, breaking the cycle of abuse and protecting our most vulnerable,” he said.
Additionally, Norris said that, if elected, he will advocate for reforms to Virginia’s emergency mental health process, which he says “too often leaves individuals [in] limbo for days without treatment.
“We need a system that provides timely care, protects individual rights, and supports both public safety and mental health,” he said.
Beyond his experience in law enforcement, Norris serves as a music ministry leader in his church and is teaching himself to play the piano.
“I compose original gospel and religious music, which I often perform during worship services, using my music to inspire and uplift the congregation,” he said.
