The Mathews County Sheriff’s Office has appointed a new investigator.
Michael Rice, a former lieutenant and chief investigator with the Gloucester County Sheriff’s Office, was sworn in on Friday, Dec. 27. He will be handling all cases of major crimes. He is replacing former Investigator William Hargis, who went into K9.
Rice has more than 23 years of law enforcement experience, according to a press release. While serving in the U.S. Coast Guard, he was a port security specialist, deploying to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He also served as a special agent with the Coast Guard Investigative Service, working major cases and protective service operations.
As a law enforcement officer, Rice has served both with Gloucester and with the Williamsburg Police Department, gaining experience as a patrol officer, bike officer, field training officer, general instructor, plainclothes/undercover narcotics investigator, traffic unit team member, special operations te...