CHARLESTON, W.Va. (LOOTPRESS) – COVID-19 has cut short a life steeped in service with the Dec. 30 death of Charles Allen “Chuck” Sadler.
Capt. Sadler, 65, most recently oversaw the training and certification standards for all West Virginia law enforcement, through his role at the Justice and Community Services section within the Department of Homeland Security. But this had been but the latest chapter in a career that included an appointment to West Point and nearly a quarter-century with the Charleston Police Department.
“His faith and family were most important in this man’s life. That is how it should be,” said Gov. Jim Justice. “This was a great man who will really be missed.”
A funeral service for Capt. Sadler was held Saturday at Teays Valley Church of God in Scott Depot. Justice ordered that a West Virginia flag be flown over the Capitol in Sadler’s honor. The flag was presented to his wife and family at the memorial by Homeland Security Secretary Jeff Sandy and other department officials.
“He will not only be missed professionally, but personally,” said Sandy, who had known Capt. Sadler since his tenure with the Charleston Police.
The 1973 Nitro High School salutatorian attended the U.S. Military Academy before re-charting course toward law enforcement. Capt. Sadler enlisted in the U.S. Army, to serve in the Armed Security Agency. After active duty at Okinawa, he spent five years in Military Intelligence with training units in the U.S. Army Reserves.
Following his honorable discharge as a staff sergeant, Capt. Sadler joined the Charleston Police Department in 1980. There, he served in the Uniformed Patrol Division and Administrative Services Bureau. While at the latter, Capt. Sadler served in the training, professional standards and highway safety units. He rose to the rank of bureau commander, and retired as a captain after 24 years. Capt. Sadler was the most senior member of the department at the time, retiring as Unit 3
Capt. Sadler then led the state Law Enforcement Training program, and helped guide its transition to what is now the Law Enforcement Professional Standards program. For 16 years, Capt. Sadler helped ensure that West Virginia maintained rigorous training and certification requirements for the more than 3,600 individuals under LEPS oversight.
“Retired Capt. Sadler’s entire life was dedicated to public service,” said Colonel Jan Cahill, superintendent of the W.Va. State Police. “He served his country, the city of Charleston and the state of West Virginia with distinction. He will be greatly missed.”
Capt. Sadler earned many accolades throughout his career. While at the Charleston Police Department, he received local, state, and national awards and recognition for helping to create the highway safety unit. He designed and carried out programs that help reduce traffic crashes, and for more than 40 years taught every new officer how to detect, arrest and prosecute impaired drivers.
Homeland Security thanks Capt. Sadler’s family for helping to share his story. Capt. Sadler met his wife, Margie Sadler, at the Charleston Police Department. Margie was the first woman to graduate from the W. Va. Police Academy. Capt. Sadler and Margie married on Aug. 28, 1982. The couple proved passionate about law enforcement, dedicating their lives to training law enforcement officers in multiple areas. They have two children, Amy and Aaron. Capt. Sadler was a very proud husband, father and grandfather. He was known to proudly show off pictures of his family and grandson, and he was deeply rooted in his faith and devotion to God.
