The Virginia Sheriffs’ Association (VSA) joins the Martinsville community and Virginia’s law enforcement family in mourning the passing of City of Martinsville Sheriff Steve M. Draper. Sheriff Draper passed away Saturday, August 29, following a terminal pulmonary illness.
At the time of his passing, Sheriff Draper was Virginia’s senior sheriff, having served longer than any other sheriff then in office. He first joined the Martinsville Sheriff’s Office in 1973 and was elected sheriff in November 1993. He took office on January 1, 1994, and served the citizens of Martinsville as sheriff for more than three decades.
Sheriff Draper’s leadership and service extended far beyond Martinsville. He served as president of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Association from 2008 to 2009, was a longtime member of the VSA Legislative Committee and served as chairman of the VSA Vehicle Procurement Committee.
He also served as chairman of the Piedmont Criminal Justice Academy and the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission, as well as on the Virginia Department of Corrections Liaison Committee. His knowledge and judgment were further recognized through gubernatorial appointments and service at the request of the Supreme Court of Virginia.
In remarks honoring Sheriff Draper, VSA Executive Director John W. Jones described him as one of the rare individuals who gave meaning to the office he held.
“Sheriff Draper served Martinsville with distinction. He served Virginia with honor. And he served his fellow sheriffs with unwavering dedication,” Jones said. “His work is finished, but his influence is not. Every person he mentored, every colleague he encouraged, every friendship he formed, and every institution he helped strengthen will carry a part of his legacy forward.”
Jones also recalled Sheriff Draper’s enjoyment in managing the door prizes at VSA conferences. It was a small responsibility that made Sheriff Draper happy because it made others happy.
Sheriff Draper was a mentor to many and a friend to sheriffs and law enforcement professionals throughout Virginia. He freely shared his knowledge and experience, encouraged others and helped generations of public safety professionals become better leaders.
In a 2024 Virginia Sheriff Spotlight, Sheriff Draper said his staff was the greatest source of pride in his career. When asked about the legacy he hoped to leave, he said he wanted to be remembered as “a hardworking, fair and honest sheriff” who took pride in his position and his staff.
The Virginia Sheriffs’ Association extends its deepest condolences to Sheriff Draper’s family, friends, colleagues, the Martinsville Sheriff’s Office and the entire Martinsville community.
Readers are invited to learn more about Sheriff Draper’s career and his reflections on leadership, service and community in the Virginia Sheriff Spotlight: Get to Know Martinsville Sheriff Steve Draper, the Longest-Serving Sheriff in the Commonwealth.
