By Matt de Simone
For Botetourt County Sheriff’s Deputy Dominick Taylor, the workday begins early—often before most residents have had their first cup of coffee.
By 6 a.m., Taylor is already on patrol.
“I’m the early guy for daylight,” Taylor said in a recent interview. “Whatever calls come out, I usually take those so the night shift guys can get home on time.”
It’s a simple description, but one that hints at the constant motion and responsibility that defines patrol work. As part of the Sheriff’s Office office patrol division, Taylor is often the first to respond when something goes wrong, whether it’s a traffic accident, a domestic dispute or a call for help that doesn’t neatly fall into a criminal category.
Taylor’s path to law enforcement started close to home. A Botetourt County native, he grew up in the area and graduated from Lord Botetourt High School. After college, he began his career in law enforcement in Roanoke before working in another local jurisdiction. In 2022, he returned to serve in the community that raised him.
“I love the area,” Taylor explained. “I have a lot of respect for the department, and I just wanted to be a part of that.”
His interest in the profession was influenced early on by his father, who served as a military police officer. Initially, Taylor considered a federal career, but ultimately chose a local path.
“I wanted to do something for the community that I lived in,” he said.
That sense of community shapes much of Taylor’s day-to-day work, though the reality of patrol is often far different from what people might expect.
A typical shift includes routine patrols, school zone monitoring in the mornings and afternoons, and responding to calls for service throughout the county. But “typical” is a relative term.
“There really isn’t a normal day,” Taylor noted.
Calls can range widely. Taylor said deputies frequently respond to domestic incidents, traffic stops, car accidents and narcotics-related activity. Increasingly, they are also assisting with fraud cases, particularly involving elderly residents.
Photos courtesy of Dominick Taylor/BCSO
At the same time, much of the job involves helping people in ways that don’t always make headlines.
“A lot of what we do is just helping,” he said. “Trying to figure things out for people, making sure they’re okay.”
Before arriving at any scene, Taylor relies heavily on information from dispatch.
“I read a lot of the call notes,” he explained. “That helps prepare me—how people are acting, if there’s alcohol involved, if there could be weapons. It gives you an idea of what you’re going into.”
Still, uncertainty is part of the job.
“You never really know exactly what you’re walking into,” he added.
That unpredictability is compounded by the size and nature of Botetourt County itself. Covering more than 500 square miles, the largely rural area presents unique challenges for law enforcement.
“It takes a little bit of time to get to calls,” Taylor said. “We’re so spread out.”
Traffic has also increased in recent years, he noted, as more drivers pass through the county en route to neighboring areas. That can affect response times and requires deputies to remain constantly aware of road conditions and congestion.
“Just being aware of traffic flow is a big part of it,” he said.
While the logistical challenges are significant, Taylor said some of the most difficult aspects of the job are human.
Domestic calls, in particular, can be challenging.
“You’re coming in as an outsider,” he said. “You don’t know them, they don’t know you, and you’re trying to understand their relationship and what’s going on. Sometimes that’s hard.”
Moments like those require not just enforcement, but empathy, a balance Taylor strives to maintain in all aspects of his work.
That includes everyday interactions like traffic stops.
“I try not to be a robot,” he said. “I explain why I stopped them. I try to be polite, be sympathetic. Nobody wants to get pulled over, but it’s part of my job. I just try to be very human.”
It’s an approach he believes helps build trust with the community, especially in a county where residents often recognize the deputies who serve them. That connection is something Taylor says he feels regularly.
“Every single day, I get stopped and thanked for being in law enforcement and protecting this community,” he explained. “That means a lot.”
But while those moments are rewarding, the job also carries a weight that isn’t always visible to the public. Some calls, particularly those involving death or serious trauma, can linger long after a shift ends. Taylor recalled one incident from a previous agency involving a child who was dead on arrival.
“Doing everything in our power, EMS doing everything, and it just didn’t work,” he said. “That sticks with you.”
Even when deputies leave the scene, the experience doesn’t always leave them.
“You can bring that home,” Taylor said. “It comes back up in your mind.”
Managing that emotional toll is part of the job, and for Taylor, faith plays a central role.
“I’m a very religious person,” he added. “Prayer keeps me motivated.”
He also stays grounded in the core purpose of his work: keeping the public safe and making it home to his own family at the end of each day.
Over time, the job has changed him.
“It’s definitely humbled me,” Taylor said. “You see a lot, and you realize how the world really works.”
That perspective, he mentioned, has replaced the more carefree outlook he had when he was younger.
“You just understand things differently,” he said.
Taylor has been in law enforcement since 2016, and while the challenges remain, so does his commitment to the community he serves.
As Botetourt County continues to grow, so too does the role of deputies like Taylor, balancing enforcement with service, urgency with patience, and professionalism with humanity.
It’s a reminder that behind every patrol car is not just a badge, but a person navigating long hours, difficult situations and the quiet responsibility of being there when the community needs help most.
To learn more about the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office, visit www.botetourtsheriffva.com/about-us.
