News & Announcements
K-9 unit a big part of Lynchburg PD
January 31, 2009 | Virginia News
The large German shepherd pressed his nose through the grate separating him from the front seat of the sport utility vehicle last week and whimpered softly.The dog, named Charlie, was visibly anxious as he watched his handler, Lynchburg Police Officer Chip Woody, help another officer with a person she had stopped. He started barking when Woody began to search the man.
Senate panel clears bill to raise cost of vanity license plates
January 30, 2009 | Virginia News
The cost of getting a vanity license plate in Virginia could double under a bill cleared yesterday by the Senate Transportation Committee.Senate Bill 1167, sponsored by Sen. John Watkins, R-Powhatan, would give the Department of Motor Vehicles the authority to charge motorists up to $20 a year to maintain or purchase personalized license plates. The current fee for such plates is $10.
Additionally, two bills that dramatically increase the requirements of seat-belt usage and the ability to enforce violations of the law cleared the committee.
Martinsville area law enforcement could face staff, service cuts
January 30, 2009 | Virginia News
Henry County and Martinsville sheriff’s offices fear losses of manpower and possibly services as a result of the state’s deepening economic crisis.Martinsville Police Chief Mike Rogers referred questions to Martinsville City Manager Clarence Monday, who said it is too early in the state budget process to estimate the impact proposed cuts will have on the local budget.
However, under Kaine’s proposal, 7 percent, or $69,743, would be cut from the city’s share of 599 funds, Monday said of state funds that help offset the costs of providing a police department. The city also contributes funds to the police department.
Newport News police want teens to text them about crime
January 30, 2009 | Virginia News
Police want teens in this city to text message them with crime tips.The department has established an e-mail address that will be monitored by officers who will make sure various people in the department are given the information, a police news release says.
Gun show loophole bill advances in Senate
January 29, 2009 | Virginia News
A bill that would require some people who purchase guns from private sellers at gun shows to submit to criminal background checks advanced in the state Senate today.Senate Bill 1257, sponsored by Sen. Henry L. Marsh III, D-Richmond and Sen. Janet D. Howell, D-Fairfax, passed by voice vote on its second reading before the full chamber. It could come up for a final Senate vote tomorrow.
Portsmouth sheriff cuts services, demands better pay scales
January 26, 2009 | Virginia News
Watson last month publicly gave city leaders until the first of the year to address making his deputies' pay comparable to others in the region or he'd pull his inmate crews. He objected to being left out of efforts to raise the pay of city public-safety workers. He said low pay was costing him too many deputies to other cities because they needed to "feed their families."Deputies also have stopped setting up radar traps and patrolling school zones for speeders, although Watson said they'll still stop someone if they witness unsafe behavior, such as reckless driving.
Cell-phone proposal clears Senate panel
January 23, 2009 | Virginia News
A bill that would prohibit motorists from using cell phones that do not have hands-free accessories while driving cleared the Senate Transportation Committee yesterday."Basically it's about distracted driving," said Sen. Patricia S. Ticer, D-Alexandria, sponsor of Senate Bill 874. Ticer cited statistics showing that drivers are four times more likely to get into a motor-vehicle accident when they are speaking on a cell phone.
The committee, however, narrowly rejected another motor-vehicle safety bill (SB 970) that would allow police to pull over vehicles when the driver or front seat passengers are not using safety belts.
Va. Senate committee passes death penalty expansion
January 22, 2009 | Virginia News
The Senate Courts Committee advanced one bill to expand the death penalty to those who assist in a murder but don't do the actual killing and another to allow it for those who kill a fire marshal or his assistant while on the job.Grad. student killed at Va. Tech; suspect in custody
January 22, 2009 | Virginia News
Steger: VT slaying ‘isolated, very personal tragedy’Regarding last night's killing, campus Police Chief Wendell Flinchum said both the suspect and the victim were international students from Asia who apparently knew each other. The identity of the victim has not been released yet as officials try to reach her family. The suspect was identified late last night as Haiyang Zhu, 25, from China.
Flinchum said campus police received a 911 call at 7:06 p.m. Wednesday about a woman being assaulted in the Au Bon Pain cafe on the first floor of the Graduate Life Center. When an officer arrived he found Zhu and arrested him and retrieved the knife believed to be the murder weapon. The victim was already dead.
Violent crime drops for third consecutive year in Newport News
January 22, 2009 | Virginia News
Violent crime in Newport News dropped last year and police are attributing the drop partly to partnerships formed with the community.In 2008, the city saw a one percent decrease in violent crime, including drops in the number of homicides, rapes, burglaries and auto thefts, police wrote in a news release. The number of homicides dropped from 28 to 19.
