Thomas "Wade" Whisman
Investigator

Wade has been with the Wytheville Police Department since 1986 when he was hired as a Patrolman. In 1993 he was promoted to Sergeant and placed over "A" shift. He was assigned to Investigations in 1994 as a General Investigator responsible for investigating crimes ranging from property thefts to murder. He became a Certified General Instructor and a Certified Firearms Instructor in 1998 through the Department of Criminal Justice System (DCJS). Wytheville Community College hired Wade in 1999 as a part-time Firearms and Marksmanship Instructor. He is a 2000 graduate of WCC in Police Science. Some of his duties and responsibilities include being the Assistant Commander of the DPS Tactical Team. He also assigns cases and conducts case screening every 30, 60 & 90 days. He teaches Ethics, Public Relations, Hate Crimes, Cultural Awareness and Firearms at the New River Criminal Justice Training Academy. Wade also served as a Military Policeman with the Marine Corps from 1982-1986.

Gary Davenport
Investigator

Gary has been in law enforcement since 1985. After graduating from the Richlands Police Academy, he began his career with the Glade Spring Police Department. It was there that he began to mold himself into what he believed a police officer should represent. He then went to the Abingdon Police Department where he continued to develop the various skills that the field of law enforcement requires. With several years of experience behind him, Gary decided to move on to a larger department where he could experience greater demands and challenges. While serving with the Washington County Sheriff's Department, he received his greatest exposure to general investigations.

Gary has been with the Wytheville Police Department since 1995 as a patrol officer. In August of 2003, Gary was promoted to Investigator. His certifications through the Department of Criminal Justice include Field Training Officer, Homicide Investigations, Crime Scene Technician and Evidence Collection.

WDPS Narcotics Investigator

The narcotics investigator for the Wytheville Department of Public Safety works closely with the Virginia State Police (VSP), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Alcohol,Tobacco, Firearms (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and local police departments and sheriff's offices. His duties include the gathering of information, following up on leads, working with informants, and making arrests.