The Vienna Police Department didn’t have to go far to find its newest chief of police.
Dan Janickey, who has served as the department’s deputy police chief for more than a decade, will succeed the retiring Jim Morris starting Feb. 1, 2026, the Town of Vienna announced yesterday (Monday).
Janickey emerged from a nationwide search as the top choice, ultimately besting four other finalists, according to town officials.
“The vetting process was robust,” Town Manager Mercury Payton said, “and Dan’s 35 years of multifaceted law enforcement experience in Northern Virginia and his existing relationships with local, state and federal public safety agencies and regional coalitions make him the ideal candidate to serve as Vienna’s next police chief.”
Janickey joined the VPD in 2014, overseeing the department’s day-to-day operations. In his role as deputy chief, he has also “been at the forefront of managing community policing initiatives, and he has been involved with the implementation of new technologies to bring the department’s resources up to modern-day standards,” according to a press release.
Before joining the VPD, Janickey enjoyed a 24-year career with the Fairfax County Police Department. He most recently served as the commander of the McLean District Police Station before departing for the Vienna department.
Janickey holds degrees from Bluefield University and Liberty University, as well as a certificate from American University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy’s international executive leadership program.
Morris will be retiring next year after serving as Vienna’s police chief for 13 years. Hired in 2013, he followed a similar trajectory as Janickey, coming to the town after more than two decades with the FCPD. Notable initiatives during his tenure leading the VPD have included the rollout of body-worn cameras and the opening of a new police station in 2022.
