David M. Rocco, a 29-year veteran of the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office was promoted to Undersheriff by Sheriff Dana Lawhorne in 2007.
Undersheriff Rocco, second in command of the Sheriff’s Office, first joined the Sheriff’s Office in December 1979 as a deputy sheriff, promoted to Sergeant in 1981, Lieutenant in 1982, and Captain in 1985. During his tenure as Captain, he commanded all divisions within the Office including: Administrative, Security, Support Services, and Judicial and Special Operations.
Undersheriff Rocco’s father, Domenic P. Rocco Jr., a retired Brigadier General with the U.S. Army, presented him with a set of silver eagles to be worn on his uniform blouse as the Undersheriff. Those silver eagles have a very interesting history because they were handmade especially for General George S. Patton Jr. General Patton wore the silver eagles when he was a Colonel in the U.S. Army in the late 1930’s.
In 1968 at Fort Sill, OK, Undersheriff Rocco’s father, then a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army was presented with the set of silver eagles by his Executive Officer whose father was on General Patton’s staff. The silver eagles were a family treasure but they wanted Lieutenant Colonel Rocco to wear the silver eagles when his was promoted to Colonel. Colonel Rocco did indeed wear the eagles for five years, after which time, he was promoted to Brigadier General. Brigadier General Rocco retired from the U.S. Army in 1990. His awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal and numerous other U.S. and foreign decorations and awards.
Undersheriff Rocco wears General George S. Patton’s handmade silver eagles on his Alexandria Sheriff’s Office dress uniform blouse just like his dad wore them with his dress U.S. Army uniform. A proud tradition of silver eagles continues.
Undersheriff Rocco holds a Bachelors of Science degree from George Mason University and has received numerous awards for his leadership and commitment to the criminal justice field. He has completed several training programs including the National Sheriffs’ Institute and Police Executive Leadership (POLEX).
Undersheriff Rocco is an adjunct faculty member with the Northern Virginia Community College and serves as chair of the curriculum advisory committee. He is an assessor for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, a member of the National Institute of Justice’s Court Technology Committee and a subject matter expert for the Department of Homeland Security.