Chief Van Eddinger was born September-27-1965 in Winston-Salem NC. He is married to Deanna Eddinger and has four daughters Audrey, Julia, Ashley and Michelle. He is a member of the First Baptist Church of Oak Island. Chief Eddinger attended Davidson County Community College and Forsyth Technical Community college. He graduated from the Management Development Program at the North Carolina Justice Academy and Duke University in November-2000. He was awarded his Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate by the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission in March-1997. He graduated from the Winston-Salem Police Academy in November-1987 and was assigned to the Field Services Bureau as a patrol officer in the north district of the city. He was transferred to the Special Operations Division in September-1990 and was assigned to the Mounted Patrol Unit. Chief Eddinger was promoted to the rank of Senior Patrol Officer in November-1991. He was transferred back to the Field Services Bureau in October-1992 and assigned to patrol in the west district of the city. Chief Eddinger joined the Yaupon Beach Police Department in July-1993 as a patrol officer and was promoted to the rank of Chief of Police in January-1994. He led that department until 1999 when the towns of Yaupon Beach and Long Beach consolidated to form the new town of Oak Island and at that time he was appointed to the rank of Assistant Chief of the new department. Chief Eddinger was appointed Chief of Police for the Town of Oak Island in December of 2006.