'A great police officer': St. Albans Chief Gilbert retires after nearly 31 years

Gilbert, 53, retired from the St. Albans Police Department Friday after nearly 31 years on the force.

"He's a great guy," said James, who said he's known Gilbert since he was a 10-year-old playing Little League baseball in St. Albans, "and a great police officer."

St. Albans Police Capt. Phillip Bass has been named interim police chief.

Gilbert's service is a family affair

Gilbert joined the SAPD on Oct. 18, 1994, during his senior year at Davis and Elkins College.

Law enforcement and public service runs in the family for Gilbert. His father, Robert Gilbert, served in the U.S. Army and retired from a career in the National Guard. His uncle, David Gilbert, was a federal agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent. Gilbert saw a future in law enforcement early on.

"I would hear [my uncle] tell his stories and I was just fascinated," Gilbert said.

Gilbert initially planned to join the SAPD to gain experience and eventually move to the ATF or U.S. Marshals Service.

"Once I got [to the SAPD], I just fell in love with the job and what it entailed," Gilbert said. "I never looked to leave again."

Being police chief was never on Gilbert's "dream sheet."

"My career was pretty unique because I spent five years in patrol and then got an opportunity to go to the Metro Drug Enforcement Unit," Gilbert said. "That's where I felt like I really developed into a police officer."

Gilbert left the Metro Drug Enforcement Unit after three and a half years, seeing a need for a Street Crimes Unit.

"I actually wrote a letter to the chief of police at the time about the benefits of what a street crimes unit can do for the city of St. Albans," Gilbert said. "Chief [Mike] Matthews called me in and said, 'I want you to run with this and we will see how it goes.'"

In 2012, Gilbert began running the Street Crimes Unit. He took over as chief of police in 2021.

What's next for Gilbert?

The last few weeks before retirement were "overwhelming" for Gilbert with people in the community reaching out to him.

"Looking back, I think they did as much for me as I did for them," Gilbert said. "Seeing different aspects of life kind of depicted how I was going to live mine."

The nature of 24/7 police work, Gilbert said, often interfered with personal plans. In retirement, Gilbert looks forward to taking annual family vacations.

"I would like to have that one time a year," Gilbert said, "that you just know to set that time aside because you're getting with the family."