Meet first Fil-Am captain in Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office

Cast. Alvin Culanding. VBSO

Alvie Aquino Culanding made history in 2017 when he became the first Filipino American captain at the Sheriff’s Office of Virginia Beach, Virginia, where he commands the correctional support division.

In a special feature to mark Filipino American History Month, Angeline Arintok of 13News Now reported  that Culanding has been a law enforcer for 25 years but it was not his first career.

He had started out as a mental health technician, but a social problem in 1990s prompted him to change professions: Gang violence erupted among Filipino American youth, which led to the formation of the Filipino American Community Action Group.

“During that time, something welled up in me that said, ‘My mom and dad did not come here for this to happen,'” Culanding told 13News Now.

His parents immigrated from the Philippines. His father was in the U.S. Navy in the ‘60s and his mother was a nurse. They  and struck roots in Hampton Roads, Virginia where many Filipinos in the Navy have settled.

Culanding expressed pride in his heritage, saying Filipinos are “strong, humble, yet productive.” He told Arintok his heritage also helps as bridge to the Filipino community where some people may feel intimidated by law enforcers.