Home > VACP News > VACP President: “Honor fallen police heroes by preventing gun violence”

VACP President: “Honor fallen police heroes by preventing gun violence”

May 18, 2012 | VACP

This week marks National Police Week, when we commemorate law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Across America, law enforcement and families of fallen officers, along with civic leaders, lawmakers and members of the public, honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, including the 163 officers lost in 2011. In Virginia we mourn five of those officers — Adam Bowen, Deriek Crouse, Cameron Justus, Timothy Schock, and William Stiltner — as well as Michael Walizer, who was lost this year.

In Richmond, the Virginia Public Safety Foundation on Monday unveiled the design for the Commonwealth Public Safety Memorial and launched the Campaign to Build Virginia's Monument to Heroes at Virginia's Capitol Square. Today, the State Police will hold a memorial service for Trooper Bowen at the Police Academy in Chesterfield County. Other events are taking place around the state and nation.

According to data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, in 2011 police line-of-duty deaths increased over 2010. And in 2011, for the first time in 14 years, firearms were the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths, outnumbering traffic fatalities. Last year in Virginia, three of the five officers killed in the line-of-duty were killed with firearms.

The commonwealth has seen what happens when dangerous people get access to guns. We recently observed the fifth anniversary of the shootings at Virginia Tech, where a disturbed gunman killed 32 people and wounded 17. Another gunman took the life of Officer Crouse there last year in a separate incident.

Our job in law enforcement is to protect the public, and we work day in and day out to prevent crime and violence. We are asking state and federal officials to support our efforts, and to work with us to promote policies that better protect the public and the police from preventable gun violence.

First, police chiefs across Virginia support establishing a federal law requiring background checks for all firearm sales so that those who should be denied guns are denied guns. Required background checks on all gun buyers would enforce the nation's 1968 Gun Control Act, which prohibits firearm possession by convicted felons, fugitives, illegal aliens, drug abusers, the mentally ill and other proscribed purchasers. This measure would have no impact on the rights of law-abiding citizens to purchase or own guns.

Currently, the federal Brady Law applies to gun sales through licensed dealers, but not to other sellers, who make up an estimated 40 percent of gun sales. Brady Law background checks have saved lives. They stopped almost 2 million prohibited purchasers nationally in the first 16 years of the law. In Virginia, 8,457 prohibited purchases were stopped between January 2001 and August 2008 alone.

Support for background checks on all purchasers is overwhelming. National polling shows that 86 percent of the public, including 81 percent of gun owners, want required background checks for all gun purchasers. In Virginia, 89 percent of registered voters support requiring background checks on all purchasers.

Action by Virginia and other states is important. But states cannot address the problem alone, as criminals resort to interstate firearms trafficking. For example, according to data provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in 2009, of the guns recovered at crime scenes and successfully traced to their source state, 30 percent had crossed state lines. A federal law requiring background checks on all gun purchasers is crucial in order to dry up the supply.

Background checks will catch disqualified purchasers if their records are in the system, but too many records have not been reported. Since the Virginia Tech shootings, Virginia has led the charge on keeping guns from the mentally unstable by improving the reporting of people with mental health disqualifiers to the National Instant Check System (NICS). A 2008 federal law prodded states to improve their reporting of these records, but compliance has been lacking. In an effort to address this, Gov. Bob McDonnell recently wrote other governors urging them to improve submission of their states' records to the NICS system.

Police chiefs in Virginia and across the nation strongly oppose proposed federal legislation that would pre-empt state laws on carrying concealed weapons. If this bill passes, Virginia would have to honor concealed carry permits from states with lesser standards — even those without any standards at all. This legislation is pending in the U.S. Senate, and Virginia's chiefs of police are urging U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Jim Webb to work to defeat the bill.

We are hopeful that our lawmakers will support law enforcement on these public safety measures. Preventing future crime and violence would be a meaningful tribute to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Richard C. Clark Jr. is chief of police in the Galax Police Department and president of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police. Contact him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Published May 18, 2012 in the Op/Ed section of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

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Virginia’s Annual Crime Analysis Report Now Available | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Virginia’s Annual Crime Analysis Report Now Available

Virginia’s Annual Crime Analysis Report Now Available

May 8, 2012 | Virginia News

RICHMOND – Virginia’s official and only comprehensive report on local and statewide crime figures for 2011 is now available online at the Virginia State Police Web site at http://www.vsp.virginia.gov. The detailed document, titled Crime in Virginia, provides precise rates and occurrences of crimes committed in towns, cities and counties across the Commonwealth. The report breaks down criminal offenses by the reporting agency as well as arrests by jurisdiction.

The following 2011 crime trends within Virginia are presented in the report:

Virginia experienced a decline in violent crime of 6.2 percent compared to 2010; the FBI figures for the same period of time are not yet available.
Property crime such as burglary, larceny and motor vehicle theft decreased 2.2 percent; the FBI figures for the same period of time are not yet available.
The homicide rate decreased for 2011 (3.77) compared to 2010 (4.61) per 100,000 population. Based on the numbers reported, those 20 to 29 years of age comprised nearly one-third of all homicide victims (28 percent). Of this age group, the overwhelming majority were males (79 percent).
Motor vehicle thefts and attempted thefts decreased 7.5 percent. Of the 9,626 motor vehicles stolen, 5,352 over one-half were recovered (55.6%). Automobiles and trucks stolen had the highest percent recovered (64 percent, 62 percent), while recreational and “other” motor vehicles had the lowest percent recovered (43 percent, 31 percent). Nearly four out of ten (38 percent) of all motor vehicle offenses were reported stolen from the location of residence/home, the same as in both 2009 and 2010. The value of all motor vehicles stolen was $62,838,098, while the value recovered was $36,275,197 or 58 percent.
Drug and narcotic offenses showed slight decreases 2009 (-2.5%) and 2008 (-3.5%). For the last two years drug offenses increased 5.3 percent in 2010 and 7.1 percent in 2011.
Robbery decreased 4.0 percent. Of the 5,451 robberies and attempted robberies, approximately 1 in 5 (19.6%) took place between 10 p.m. and midnight. The days of the week showed little variability, however, slightly more robberies occurred on Fridays and Saturdays than the other days of the week. Of all individual robbery victims, most were male (69 percent) as were offenders (94 percent) whose gender was reported.
Of the weapons reported, firearms were the most frequently used in homicides (73 percent) and robberies (56 percent).
There were 153 hate crimes reported in 2011. Nearly two-thirds were racially or ethnically motivated (63 percent) while 18 percent were motivated by religious bias. The remaining 19 percent reported sexual orientation or disability bias. The offense of destruction/ damage/vandalism of property was listed most often when associated with all types of hate crimes while the offense of assault reported next most frequently (48 percent and 41 percent, respectively).

The report employs an Incident Based Reporting (IBR) method for calculating offenses, thus allowing for greater accuracy. IBR divides crimes into two categories: Group A for serious offenses including violent crimes (murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault), property crimes and drug offenses, and Group B less serious offenses including trespassing, disorderly conduct, bad checks and liquor law violations where an arrest has occurred.

For Group A offenses, between 2010 and 2011, adult arrests in Virginia increased 2 percent. Juvenile arrests for Group A offenses decreased 3.1 percent statewide during the same time period. Crime in Virginia reports that Group B arrests decreased 1.9 percent for adults, and decreased 15.1 percent for juveniles from 2010 to 2011. There were a total of 360,008 arrests in 2010 compared to 355,595 arrests in 2011, representing a decrease of 1.2 percent.

Per state mandate, the Department of Virginia State Police serves as the primary collector of crime data from participating Virginia state and local police departments and sheriffs’ offices. The data are collected by the Virginia State Police Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division via an automated system, and then compiled into Crime in Virginia, an annual report for use by law enforcement, elected officials, media and the general public. These data become the official crime statistics for the Commonwealth and are sent to the FBI which incorporates them in their annual report, Crime in the United States.

Front Royal Police Chief to retire | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Front Royal Police Chief to retire

Front Royal Police Chief to retire

April 27, 2012 | Virginia News

News Image Richard H. Furr, Front Royal’s Chief of Police, announced today that he will be retiring August 28 after 30 years of service to the citizens of the Town of Front Royal. He began his career with Front Royal on April 22, 1982 as a patrol officer and rose through the ranks to become Chief of Police on April 13, 2009.

“This past week I was recognized for my 30 years of service and contributions to the Town of Front Royal, serving as Chief of Police for the past three years. It has been a dream come true and an honor for me to serve in this position beside the great men and women of the department. I have delayed my retirement for the past five years for this opportunity and I feel that God has richly blessed me for it. I now plan to spend more time with my wife and family, catch up on my “honey-do” list, and do some travelling. Beyond that, I am confident that God will direct my path.”

Furr stated that his decision to retire was based solely on his personal feeling that the time was right to retire and was not based on any disagreements with any Town Staff or Town Council. Furr said he has had a very good working relationship with several Town Councils and two Town Managers. “They have been instrumental in the achievement of the goals that I had made for myself and the department when I was appointed as Chief of Police. I had set twelve goals in 2009 and the Department has achieved ten of those goals.” Furr listed the goals achieved as:

Maintain the current level of services during the economic downturn with anticipated less funding.
Continue utilizing Volunteers In Police Services (V.I.P.S.) to supplement officers for special events, thereby reducing overtime costs to the department.
Reduce turnover and keeping experienced officers on the street.
Scheduled replacement and maintenance of equipment.
Continued training opportunities in specialized fields.
Increase Community Policing initiatives.
Upgrade and remodel dispatch office.
Initiate a Master Police Officer Program (will occur in FY 2012-2013 budget).
Reorganize Administrative staff, to include a Chief, one Captain/Deputy Chief, and two Lieutenants (Reorganization Plan will occur in FY2012-2013 budget).
New police department facilities (Currently under discussion by Town Council).

The two goals not achieved were re-obtaining state accreditation and a revised pay scale for police officers, both of which may be on the horizon according to Furr.

An achievement that Furr had not anticipated was the recent completion of a departmental firing range. “We needed to have a range to keep our officers proficient in the use of their firearms. With the assistance of Town Council, we were able to identify a location on Town property and used Town equipment and manpower to construct a range that met standards set by the Department of Criminal Justice Services. This will save the town money by officers not having to go to other ranges outside of Warren County for state-required qualifications,” Furr stated.

“I strongly feel that this department is filled with very capable staff and I would encourage that the next Chief of Police come from within the department. I sincerely hope that in the next four months the Town Manager will be able to make a selection and we can achieve a smooth transition to the next Chief,” Furr concluded.

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VACP Past President Larry Vardell passes away | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > VACP Past President Larry Vardell passes away

VACP Past President Larry Vardell passes away

April 18, 2012 | VACP

News Image The VACP regretfully reports that VACP Past President (1990-91) Larry Vardell passed away on April 14, 2012 at his home in Florida. Chief Vardell was the 3rd Chief of the Williamsburg Police Department and remained so for 21 years.

Chief Vardell’s legacy is that he professionalized the Williamsburg Police Department, establishing for the first time Administrative Orders and guiding WPD to CALEA national accreditation. He was a mentor to many, as four officers that served under him eventually became Chiefs of Police as well. All four of those chiefs went on to become members of the VACP Executive Board, and three of them have served as President — retired Fredericksburg Chief James Powers (1999-2000), retired Williamsburg Chief Mike Yost (2006-07) and retired Waynesboro Chief Doug Davis (2010-11). The current Williamsburg Police Chief, David Sloggie, now serves on the VACP Executive Board.

Chief Vardell’s passing was sudden as his terminal illness was discovered just last week. His funeral was held this week in Clarksville, Tennessee and he has been laid to rest in Pembroke, Kentucky.

The funeral home has a webpage where friends of Chief Vardell can post their comments, which I'm sure will be greatly appreciated by his widow, Mrs. Peggy Vardell.

A Personal Note from VACP Executive Director Dana Schrad:

Back in 1995, when the VACP was seeking a full-time Executive Director, Chief Vardell was instrumental in the selection process; so in many ways I owe my position with the VACP to Larry. He was one of the founders of the Virginia Police Chiefs Foundation, which to this day continues to offer outstanding leadership education programs for Virginia's law enforcement leaders. Larry worked with other key chiefs to establish the Professional Executive Leadership School (PELS), which is a flagship program for police leadership education.

On the national level, Chief Vardell also was a driving force behind the establishment of what is now the SACOP Division (State Associations of Chiefs of Police) in the International Association of Chiefs of Police. To anyone who knew Larry, he was both tough and kind, opinionated and respectful, and he epitomized the best in professional law enforcement leadership. He passionately loved his department, his officers and the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police. We are eternally grateful to Larry for his commitment to the Association, the Foundation and to the advancement of professional policing in Virginia.

The VACP sends its sincere condolences to Mrs. Vardell, his family and his many friends. Chief Larry Vardell truly made a difference and left his mark, and Virginia law enforcement is the better for it.

A Shift in Community Policing Strategies - Part 1 | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > A Shift in Community Policing Strategies - Part 1

A Shift in Community Policing Strategies - Part 1

April 12, 2012 | Virginia News

by Roanoke Police Chief Chris Perkins and Sergeant Jeffrey Newman

Since becoming Chief of Police of the Roanoke, Virginia, Police Department, I have often contemplated whether my vision to engage citizens through their desired mode of interaction is the same as the officers, detectives, and supervisors. Community outreach and partnership has led us to venture into a “Cyber Community Policing” philosophy, for lack of a better categorization. However, my fear lies in whether staff shares the philosophy, and if they do, are they truly embracing it?

I have to admit delving into the world of social media is not without its risks both internally and externally. In fact, a very wise and tenured sheriff in Virginia contacted our crime prevention officer and inquired, “Does the new chief have any idea what the heck he was doing.” He went on to comment, “Your new chief is going to put his face out there and get it smacked!” You can imagine the angst that created. Yet, I would have to say I would not change a thing. Social media has opened the department to the diverse community we serve at their desired means of engagement and enhanced our partnership to reduce violent crime over ten percent in 2011. Whether it is crime data for their neighborhood or the day in the life of the animal control officer, the response has been overwhelmingly positive and productive.

So back to the question, is staff embracing the new philosophy? In order test the question, I went to a sergeant and said, “If I asked you to describe in writing the best way to engage our community without trying to please me, what would you say?” Below is his written response and I felt compelled to share it.

What does Traditional Community Policing have in common with 35mm Film Cameras, VHS Tapes and Typewriters?

Demons and Choices:

Budget reductions, staffing shortages, new unfunded mandates, growing demands for openness and citizen involvement in police decision making as well as a litany of other major challenges plague law enforcement agencies across the United States. However these concerns are only some of the demons that keep law enforcement executives awake at night. The scariest demon facing any law enforcement executive is the specter of changing the policing philosophy of their organization.

Community policing has worked well for the last twenty years and is supported by the Department of Justice through the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. The community policing strategy with its partnership paradigm has risen to become the dominate strategy for virtually all police departments in the United States. So if the strategy of community policing has been so successful and is so widely established, why would a successful law enforcement agency take the risk of altering a policing philosophy that dictates its relationship with the community?

The Specter of Change:

It cannot be argued that changing an organization’s policing philosophy creates a variety of challenges. Changing a philosophy threatens to disrupt well established staffing allocations, schedules, power structures, interagency relationships, and daily business practices. However, overcoming the internal problems that are generated by changing a policing philosophy is only half of the battle, because outside of the law enforcement agency the change threatens to alter the relationship of the agency with citizens, local press, and elected officials.

Agencies when faced with the specter of conflict both internally and externally become fearful of damaging relationships that they have spent tremendous amounts of time and resources cultivating. The logical argument then becomes a question of: Why implement change and cause conflict when an agency can simply keep doing what it has always done? -Or- If we have to change then why don’t we only make cosmetic changes?

Changing from one policing philosophy to another is not a bad thing and is in fact necessary for the health of an agency. If an agency fails to adjust to changing demands from its citizens (consumers) its risks becoming obsolete like 35mm film cameras, VHS tapes, and typewriters. Although these three examples of dated technology were wonderful and groundbreaking when they were first released into the market place, they are now obsolete and relegated to collector status. When was the last time your agency purchased a 35mm film camera for an evidence technician to take crime scene photographs, bought VHS tape recorders for your police car cameras, or used typewriters to prepare documents?

In the face of changing citizen expectations is your community policing strategy, cutting edge or is it collector status?

Cutting Edge or Collector Status:

Technology and policing philosophies have a lot in common. They are both instituted by law enforcement agencies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their crime fighting efforts. But technology and policing philosophies are also similar in that they both can become antiquated as new technology changes citizens’ interactions and expectations. The video-on-demand services offered by cable companies, Internet movie providers, and services like Redbox and Netflix have gradually pushed movie rental stores to the fringes of the market as they have become the dominant methods by which people receive movies. The lower cost (efficiency) and convenience (effectiveness) of those services has displaced the more expensive and less convenient services provided by movie rental stores.

The traditional philosophy of community policing is likewise being pushed to the fringes of the public consciousness by the growth of social media, content-on-demand services, and online discussion forums. The digital age has arrived and it has fundamentally altered the way that citizens interact with their government, society, peers, friends, and family. Traditional community policing relies on formal citizen volunteerism and community participation. However with its fixed community meeting times at public locations and dependence upon the cooperation of civic groups and neighborhood watch associations, traditional community policing is too rigid to be efficient and effective in the post-traditional society. How many community and neighborhood organization meetings were well attended during the early years of community policing but are now scarcely more than gatherings of a few citizens and several police officers?

No agency wants to look into the mirror and possibly discover that the philosophy of policing that they have been practicing for the past 20 years can be relegated to collector status. A few telling signs that this transition has occurred or is occurring are declining membership in neighborhood watch organizations, declining participation in community meetings, and a perceived citizen disinterest in the crime prevention activities of the agency. Rather than blame the traditional scapegoats of lack of civic pride and busy schedules could it simply be that the format of participation has gone digital?

Your Agency:

Before answering the above question take a few moments to conduct a check of your agency and where you stand in the digital landscape. Does your agency have a Web page or Facebook account? If it does, how often is that page updated with new content? Does you agency have a discussion board or the ability to listen to and respond to citizens in a public setting that the citizens can access at their convenience? Does your agency have a method to instantly disseminate important but less than emergency information to the community? Does your agency have a platform to provide information directly to thousands of citizens that will contradict biased press reports, politically motivated individuals, and others who attempt to benefit from skewing facts? Does your agency have a method to highlight the good work that your officers perform on a daily basis? Does your agency have a framework to publicly recognize officer and agency accomplishments?

The Tool Box of Community Policing:

When I was a brand new officer, my field training officer recalled the theory that his field training officer had tried to teach him about community policing. His field training officer had imparted to him that he should forget almost everything that they (the academy) had ever told him about community policing. The only thing that my field training officer needed to remember was that all officers have a tool box of skills and that officers solve the problems that they encounter with only the tools in that box.

His field training officer then went on to tell him that the only tools that he would ever need in his community policing tool box were a hammer and a screwdriver. A “REAL” police officer only needs those two tools, because the purpose of police officers is to hammer and screw people. Everything else is up to politicians, lawyers, social workers, churches and do-gooders. Because a “REAL” police officer doesn’t do community policing.

During its inception in the late eighties and early nineties many jurisdictions were resistant to implementing community policing into their policing philosophy. They resisted a shift away from response policing models because they were familiar and comfortable with dispatching units to calls from a centralized location. A unit that was attending a community meeting or working on a community problem was not as available to respond to calls for service. Implementing community policing required agencies allow their officers to interact with the people in their districts and areas in a much more comprehensive fashion that ever before. To be successful, an agency had to allow their officers an unprecedented degree of autonomy and freedom. The agency had to encourage initiative and problem solving.

Twenty years after the implementation of community policing, few agencies can argue that community policing was not successful. The building of positive relationships between the community and police departments has generally lowered crime rates to pre 1970’s levels. By focusing on the identification, analysis, response, and assessment of community problems, law enforcement became much more efficient and effective in reducing crime than the response strategy that formerly dominated American law enforcement. To be successful a “REAL” police officer needed to do more than simply respond to a call, make an arrest, and write a report.

Digital Frontiers:

Research into changing lifestyles and consumer habits underscores the importance of transforming crime prevention and community outreach to meet social realities. Community policing as a philosophy for crime reduction is only effective when law enforcement agencies learn about the concerns of the community and proactively address those issues. The Roanoke Police Department, like agencies across the country, began noticing a few years ago that there were fewer attendees at community meetings and neighborhood watch groups. The police department recognized that declining attendance was an obstacle to the effectiveness of its community policing strategy and created the Community Integration and Service Enhancements (CISE) unit to transform community policing into a digitally accessible format.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of this Chiefs' Column, coming in May.

About The Authors
Chris Perkins is Chief of Police at the Roanoke, Virginia, Police Department. He possesses a Master of Arts degree from Hollins University, a Graduate Certificate from the University of Virginia, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Tennessee.

Jeffrey Newman is the supervisor of the Planning Unit of the Roanoke Police Department in Roanoke, Virginia. He possesses a Master of Public Administration degree from the Center of Public Administration and Policy at Virginia Tech.

Column originally published on the IACP Center for Social Media Blog.

VACP Update: April, 2012 | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > VACP Update: April, 2012

VACP Update: April, 2012

April 10, 2012 | VACP

The following report was presented by VACP Executive Director Dana Schrad at the 2012 VACP Midyear Conference, April 2-3, 2012 in Henrico, VA.

JAG FUNDS

The Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Justice Department, has just posted its solicitation for applications for federal FY’12 JAG funds. JAG funds are allocated among the states based on a crime rate/population formula and, within each state, some localities are eligible for “direct awards” from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA); the amounts they’re eligible for are predetermined by a crime rate formula. The eligible localities apply directly to BJA for these “direct award” funds.

The BJA’s solicitation has instructions on how to apply and what the application must consist of, and a list of the Virginia localities that are eligible. Applications are due to BJA by May 14.

JAG Program FY 2012 Local Solicitation (PDF)

2012 Virginia JAG Allocations (PDF)

WOUNDED WARRIOR PROGRAM

Are you working with increasing numbers of combat veterans and service members?
Do you want to know more about how to help veterans and service members and
what services are available to them?

The Virginia Department of Veterans Services’ Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, is pleased to announce a two-hour training for criminal justice system professionals that will provide an overview of combat stress and the increasing numbers of returning veterans and service members who are involved in the criminal justice system. Participants also will learn about the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program and the services in our region that are avail-able to veterans and returning service members. Participants will receive 2 hours of training credit or professional education credits and a certificate.

Thursday, April 19, 2012 1pm-3pm—Hopewell
Hopewell Public Library, 209 E. Cawson Street, Hopewell VA 23860

Thursday April 26, 2012 10am-12pm—Chesterfield
Chesterfield Police Academy, 6610 Public Safety Way, Chesterfield VA 23832

Thursday, May 17, 2012 10am-12pm—Richmond
Richmond Police Academy, 1202 W. Graham Rd., Richmond VA 23220

Thursday, May 31, 2012 10am-12pm—Emporia
Southside VA Education Center, 1300 Greensville County Circle., Emporia VA 23847

Thursday, June 7, 2012 1pm-3pm—Charlotte Southside VA Community College, 200 Daniel Rd. Room 43, Keysville VA 23947

Thursday, June 14, 2012 10am-12pm—Goochland
Dept. of Corrections Academy for Staff Development, 1900 River Rd. West, Crozier VA 23039

There is NO fee to attend this training but you must register. To register online and get directions to each site go to http://www.vcu.edu/partnership/criminaljustice/regionfour/

For additional questions, please contact:

Nicole Rada at 804-827-0200 or ncrada@vcu.edu

DISTRACTED DRIVING

April is Distracted Driving Month – What are you doing?

DRIVE SMART® Virginia has a variety of materials for law enforcement to use to conduct a distracted driving awareness campaign.

ORDER, DOWNLOAD, SIGN AND JOIN FOR APRIL
Below are links for everything you need to have a successful Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign.

1. Order and Distribute DDAM materials

2. Download the DDAM toolkit

3. Sign the Pledge

4. Join DRIVE SMART® Virginia as a Safety Partner

CYBERVETTING

Do you use check the Facebook profiles of your new officer candidates?

The IACP, in partnership with the Defense Personnel Security Research Center (PERSEREC), has released Developing a Cybervetting Strategy for Law Enforcement, a guide to help chief executives navigate the complicated world of vetting and personnel management in the social media age. The guide is available on the IACP’s Center for Social Media Web site at www.IACPsocialmedia.org under "Resources: Publications: Vetting". A number of IACP committees and sections were actively involved in the development of the guide, including the Private Sector Liaison Committee, the Computer Crime and Digital Evidence Committee, the Professional Standards, Image, and Ethics Committee, and the Psychological Services Section. The IACP collaborated on it with the Defense Personnel Security Research Center in DoD. The policy is comprehensive and includes a sample waiver.

VIRGINIA ASSOCIATION OF PROPERTY & EVIDENCE PROFESSIONALS

The Virginia Association of Property and Evidence Professionals is accepting applications for individual and corporate membership. For more information, contact MPO Lynn Coulter, Fairfax City Police Department, at Lynn.Coulter@fairfaxva.gov

UPCOMING CONFERENCES

The Virginia Association of Law Enforcement Planners (VALEP) will hold a training program on May 16 from 8:00 – 4:00 at the Albemarle County Police Department. Training topics include: Risk Management; Internal Staff Studies/Audits in Lieu of Accreditation; Use of Microsoft Office for Law Enforcement (compiling and analyzing data using Access and Excel); Electronic File Storage; and an overview of LInX. Registration: $25. For more information, see the event page.

The Virginia Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators (VACLEA) Summer Conference will be June 6-8 at the Quality Inn and Suites Oceanfront in Virginia Beach, VA.

The 87th Annual Conference of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police will be held August 12-15, 2012 at the Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, VA. (Let us know if there is a particular block of training or presentation you’d like for us to schedule.)

VACP Executive Board: We encourage our VACP-member police chiefs to apply for an open position on the Executive Board. The 3rd Vice President position will be open at the Annual Conference in August and this is a position that ascends to the VACP Presidency. Qualified applicants also may apply for an At-Large Executive Board member position, which serves a term of 4 years and does not ascend through to the presidency.

If you are interested, please email a letter of interest and your resume to VACP Nominating Committee Chairman Chief Charlie Deane at ctdeane@pwcgov.org. If you have questions about service on the Board, please contact any of the current Board members or Executive Director Dana Schrad at dana@vachiefs.org

VACP Awards Program: the VACP Awards Committee is accepting nominations for the 2012 Awards for Valor, Lifesaving, and Outstanding Contribution to Law Enforcement. Download the nomination form. For more information, contact Awards Committee Chairman Chief Dave Sloggie at dsloggie@williamsburgva.gov or VACP Communications Manager Erin Schrad at erin@vachiefs.org

The 119th Conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police will be held in San Diego, CA Sept. 29 – Oct. 3, 2012. The VACP, in partnership with the Maryland and Delaware chiefs associations, has a block of rooms reserved at the Hotel Solamar at $194/night – not cheap, but certainly more reasonable than many of the other hotels that were well over $200/night.

Amenities of the hotel include: free in-room internet; free use of fitness center; on the IACP conference bus route, but also within walking distance – 3 blocks - of the conference center; in the Gaslamp district near a variety of restaurants and shops; within two blocks of Petco Park (and the Padres play the Giants at home September 28, 29 and 30 – tickets range from $7.50 to $73.25.)

Reservations in our block have NOT been released yet, but the VACP will send out a notice to members when you can make your reservations. We recommend that you reserve your rooms ASAP (you can always cancel if your plans change) – we only have 75 rooms for three states, and we’ll need to know right away if we have to ask the IACP to increase our room block.

IACP COMMUNITY POLICE PROGRAM & AWARDS

The IACP Community Policing Program has a web page with plenty of helpful resources for law enforcement. It is located at http://www.iacpcommunitypolicing.org/index.php Please consider registering for this site to receive up-to-date information on best practices and programs.

The IACP Community Policing Awards are sponsored by Cisco and are a great way to receive some well-deserved recognition for your agency’s efforts. The competition honors those departments worldwide that have prevented and decreased crime and terrorism by forging partnerships with their communities. Share with the world how your department has addressed community challenges through collaboration, prevention and proactive partnerships.

Winners and finalists are honored at the IACP Annual Conference. The winning agency from each category receives one complimentary annual conference registration; transportation for one to and from the conference; one hotel room for five nights while at the conference; and two tickets to the awards banquet. You must be registered on the Community Policing website to enter the awards competition

COPS OFFICE COMMUNITY POLICE DEVELOPMENT (CPD) PROGRAM

The COPS Office Community Policing Development (CPD) Program for fiscal year 2012 will be opening for applications in early April. CPD funds are used to advance the practice of community policing in law enforcement agencies through training and technical assistance, the development and documentation of innovative community policing strategies, applied research, guidebooks, and best practices that are national in scope. The COPS Office, a federal provider of innovative, customer-focused resources that address the continuing and emerging needs of those engaged in enhancing public safety through community policing, has designed the CPD solicitation to address critical topics in law enforcement by building on the principles of community policing.

Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime. Community policing is composed of three key components:

Partnerships
Collaborative partnerships between the law enforcement agency and the individuals and organizations they serve to develop solutions to problems and increase trust in police.
Organizational Transformation
The alignment of organizational management, structure, personnel, and information systems to support community partnerships and proactive problem solving.
Problem-Solving
The process of engaging in the proactive and systematic examination of identified problems to develop and evaluate effective responses.

The 2012 CPD Program has been established to fund specific project needs that will be identified related to the following topic areas: (1) policing in a new economy; (2) ethics and integrity; (3) children and youth safety; (4) police operations; (5) community policing enhancement; (6) veterans support. In addition to these specific project needs, there will also be an open topic area for the submission of proposals focused on other community policing-related topics that benefit the wider law enforcement field not listed here.

More on the COPS website at: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=2450

A COPS OFFICE REPORT

The Impact of the Economic Downturn on American Police Agencies

The economic downturn of the past several years has devastated local economies and their local law enforcement agencies. Sworn to protect and serve the public, law enforcement faces a bleak outlook. The nation’s law enforcement agencies are confronting severe budget cuts and unmanageable layoffs, and they are fundamentally changing how they keep the public safe. COPS compiled data from a number of current surveys and data sets, which show the impact that the current economic climate has had on law enforcement agencies nationwide.

Layoffs, furloughs, and unfilled jobs mean less public safety

By the end of the year, it’s expected that nearly 12,000 police officers and sheriff’s deputies will have been laid off.
Approximately 30,000 law enforcement jobs are unfilled.
An estimated 28,000 officers and deputies have faced week-long furloughs in 2010.
An estimated 53 percent of counties are working with fewer staff today than just one
year ago.
2011 could produce the first national decline in law enforcement officer positions in at least the last 25 years.

Budget cuts have a heavy impact

Over one-third of the agencies that applied for 2011 COPS officer hiring funding reported an operating budget drop of greater than 5 percent between 2009 and 2011.
Nearly a quarter of American cities surveyed have made cuts to public safety budgets.

The delivery of law enforcement services will fundamentally change as a result of today’s economic climate

Some agencies have stopped responding to all motor vehicle thefts, burglar alarms, and non-injury motor vehicle accidents.
Agencies have also reported decreases in investigations of property crimes, fugitive tracking, a variety of white collar crimes, and even low-level narcotics cases.
Many agencies have greatly reduced training opportunities for their officers.
Investments in technology and communications systems are being slashed in many agencies facing budget reductions.

“The Impact of the Economic Downturn on American Police Agencies” is available for download at: http://www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=2602

Columbia, Mo., Deputy Chief Tapped To Lead Harrisonburg Police | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Columbia, Mo., Deputy Chief Tapped To Lead Harrisonburg Police

Columbia, Mo., Deputy Chief Tapped To Lead Harrisonburg Police

April 2, 2012 | Virginia News

Stephen Monticelli To Assume Command June 4

By ROB LONGLEY
Daily News-Record

HARRISONBURG — Harrisonburg officials this morning formally announced their pick for the city’s next chief of police: Stephen Monticelli, currently deputy chief with the Columbia, Mo., police department.

He will assume command on June 4.

The Columbia Police Department employs 220 sworn and civilian personnel and serves a city of 108,000. The city includes the University of Missouri at Columbia. Harrisonburg Police Department has 85 sworn officers and about 100 employees overall and serves a city of about 50,000.

Monticelli brings 32 years of law enforcement experience to Harrisonburg, having served in all areas of police operations including campus law enforcement, according to a release this morning from city public information officer Miriam Dickler.

“Chief Monticelli has the experience and qualifications that will serve us well in the future,” said City Manager Kurt Hodgen in the release. “We have a growing, diverse city and two growing universities in Harrisonburg. Stephen brings a background and perspective that can help us meet the challenges that come with that growth.”
Monticelli said his new job fulfills a lifelong dream to be a police chief.

“I am excited to have this opportunity to work with the staff of the City of Harrisonburg and the Harrisonburg Police Department in particular,” said Monticelli. “It is a great police force and I look forward to being a part of the team. It has been a lifelong dream to be a Chief of Police for a city like Harrisonburg and I look forward to living that dream."

Monticelli is a graduate of the University of Missouri at Columbia and holds a master’s from William Woods University. Additionally, he graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.

In choosing Monticelli, the city passed over three internal candidates, though one withdrew during the selection process, and four dozen applicants from outside the department.

Monticelli will succeed Col. Donald Harper, who retired as Harrisonburg chief after 20 years in the post. Harper retired on Saturday, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 70 last month. HPD Capt. Dan Claytor is serving as interim chief until Monticelli formally takes command.

The Daily News-Record will have a complete report on this story in Tuesday’s online and print editions.

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Funeral arrangements announced for Charles City Co. Deputy Michael C. Walizer | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Funeral arrangements announced for Charles City Co. Deputy Michael C. Walizer

Funeral arrangements announced for Charles City Co. Deputy Michael C. Walizer

March 31, 2012 | Virginia News

News Image The VACP requests that Virginia law enforcement officers shroud their badges in memory of Deputy Michael C. Walizer through the day of his funeral — Friday, April 6.

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS

Visitation
Thursday, April 5, 2012 — 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Nelson's Funeral Home
4650 South Laburnum Ave.
Richmond, VA 23231

Funeral
Friday, April 6, 2012 — 1:00 p.m.
Samaria Baptist Church
8130 Lott Cary Road
Providence Forge, VA 23140
(No Interment)

Directions to Samaria Baptist Church: From I-64, Exit 211 (Talleysville/ Roxbury Route 106). Continue South on Route 106 through the stop light for two miles, turn left at Route 609 (Barnetts Road) prior to the railroad crossing. Continue on Route 609 for 6 miles and you will come to a forn in the road; proceed left at the fork and the church will be down 15 miles on the left.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Memorial Fund.

MEMORIAL FUND ESTABLISHED
A memorial fund has been set up at BB&T bank for Deputy Michael Walizer’s family who lost his life in the line of duty on March 31, 2012. Those wishing to make contributions can go to any BB&T branch. The donor can advise them that it is for Sheriff Javier Smith in memorial of Deputy Michael Walizer.

By: JOHN REID BLACKWELL | Times-Dispatch

Published: April 01, 2012

Charles City County residents grieved the loss of sheriff's deputy Michael C. Walizer by leaving tokens of remembrance — flowers, balloons and a stuffed animal toy with a deputy's badge — amid a tangle of roadside bushes and trees at the scene of the car crash that claimed the life of the father of four early Saturday.

A clearly grief-stricken Charles City County Sheriff Javier J. Smith said Walizer, a Charles City resident and an 11-year veteran of law enforcement, was a dedicated officer who "loved serving this community."

"He had a free spirit that loved life," Smith said at a news conference Saturday afternoon. "He was very close to his family and his children, and he talked about them quite a lot.

"His wife would like me to express his commitment to his family, community and God," Smith said.

Walizer, 36, was married and had three sons, ages 1, 9 and 10, and a daughter, 11.

"For me, he left a legacy of how to be a professional," Smith said.

The Virginia State Police and the Charles City County and New Kent County sheriff's offices were investigating the crash Saturday.

The crash occurred at about 2 a.m. on state Route 5 a mile west of state Route 155, on a straight stretch of rural road less than a mile from the Charles City Sheriff's Office.

Walizer had left the office to respond to a request for assistance made by another deputy who was attempting to stop a vehicle.

Virginia State Police said Walizer's vehicle, a 2008 Ford Crown Victoria, ran off the right side of the road, crossed back over the road and then ran off the left side, where it struck a tree.

Walizer, who was wearing his seat belt, died at the scene.

Charles City sheriff's officials said at the news conference that the incident Walizer was responding to was not a high-speed pursuit. The driver of the vehicle that the other deputy was following was looking for a safe place to stop, eventually did stop, and was issued a summons for speeding.

Smith said he had no details on the driving conditions at the time of the crash.

Walizer had previously worked with the Newport News, Williamsburg and Richmond International Airport police departments, and the Caroline County Sheriff's Office. He joined the Charles City County Sheriff's Office in 2006.

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ACLU warns Va. State Police about social-media policy | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > ACLU warns Va. State Police about social-media policy

ACLU warns Va. State Police about social-media policy

March 28, 2012 | Virginia News

By: MARK BOWES | Richmond Times-Dispatch

The Virginia ACLU warned the Virginia State Police on Tuesday that it might be violating federal law and the U.S. Constitution by requiring trooper applicants to make available their social media accounts during the hiring process.

The practice of forcing job applicants to reveal their private communications to employers "is facing tough public criticism and legal scrutiny," ACLU Executive Director Kent Willis said in a statement, adding that the government should not be allowed to force its way into "our most intimate and confidential communications."

In a letter faxed Tuesday to Virginia State Police Superintendent W. Steven Flaherty, ACLU of Virginia Legal Director Rebecca K. Glenberg asked that state police discontinue the practice, described as "shoulder surfing."

"Absent a concrete reason to believe that a potential employee is engaged in wrongdoing of which his Facebook account is likely to contain evidence, these communications are simply none of the VSP's business," Glenberg wrote.

"Looking at this information is akin to opening an applicant's mail or listening in on his telephone calls. Such eavesdropping intrudes on the privacy of not only the job applicant, but his online friends and correspondents."

State police spokeswoman Corinne Geller confirmed the department has received the ACLU's letter and that it is being evaluated. "We will respond back to the ACLU as appropriate," she said.

"In the meantime, we will continue our existing hiring practices," Geller said. "As we have stated before, we feel our investigative background process is necessary and appropriate for the job our applicants are expected to do and the authority granted to such individuals upon being hired on to the Virginia State Police."

The ACLU said any employer who engages in shoulder surfing may be violating the Stored Communications Act, a federal law that makes it illegal to intentionally access stored electronic communications without valid authorization. According to at least one court ruling, coercing job applicants to provide access to their social media accounts violates this law, the ACLU said.

Government employers may also be violating the Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures and the First Amendment right to freedom of speech, the ACLU said.

Willis noted that the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services revised its social media policy last year after the ACLU complained.

Virginia State Police disclosed last week that, as of Jan. 1, they require all law-enforcement applicants to provide access to their social media accounts as a pre-employment condition. Applicants are not required to provide usernames or passwords, but they must log on to their social networking sites and allow a state police background investigator to review the contents.

State police described the practice as merely an extension of its already meticulous background screening process, which includes interviews with an applicants' former employers, neighbors and checks of their criminal history and credit.

"Providing Virginia's citizens with the highest quality and caliber of state troopers requires a comprehensive vetting process," Flaherty said last week in a statement to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "The VSP is a unique public agency in the services it provides; therefore, in today's society, the virtual character check is just as important as the 'physical' character check."

Dana G. Schrad, executive director of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, said checking applicants' social networking sites seem to be a growing trend among law-enforcement agencies.

"This is the modern-day electronic version of a neighborhood check," Schrad said. "When you were doing background checks 25 years ago … you visited neighbors and you called the people that lived around (the applicant) for the past 20 years and you got a character reference."

"But people don't live like that anymore," Schrad added. "They don't have the same contact with their neighbors and they move around a lot. And really their neighborhood now is Facebook. So that's how you find out a lot about who someone's associates are and how they conduct themselves."

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Louisa Police Chief To Take Middleburg Post | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Louisa Police Chief To Take Middleburg Post

Louisa Police Chief To Take Middleburg Post

March 25, 2012 | Virginia News

News Image The Middleburg Town Council has selected the town’s next police chief. Anthony J. “AJ” Panebianco will take up the position in one month.

Panebianco currently serves as chief of police for the Town of Louisa and has spent his 22-year career serving in small Virginia towns. He also worked in the Town of Warsaw and the City of Buena Vista. He holds a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice from Bluefield College and is a graduate of the 12th session of the Virginia Chief’s Foundation/Richmond University Robins School of Business Professional Executive Leadership School (PELS). Panebianco has been the recipient of numerous awards during his career, including a 2009 second place Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police Law Enforcement Challenge award for small departments.

He will take over for Chief Bill Klugh, who will retire May 1.

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Woodstock is ‘home’ for new chief | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Woodstock is ‘home’ for new chief

Woodstock is ‘home’ for new chief

March 12, 2012 | Virginia News

News Image WOODSTOCK -- By accepting the job of Woodstock police chief, Eric Reiley achieved his dream of bringing his family home.

The Woodstock Town Council unanimously approved the appointment of the Virginia State Police lieutenant at its meeting Tuesday. He takes the post March 19.

Former town officer Robert "Porky" Bowman Jr. has served as interim chief since Bryan Hutcheson stepped down at the first of the year to become Rockingham County sheriff.

Reiley, 41, and his wife, Amber, are both graduates of Strasburg High School.

"We have deep ties here," he said. "I've been fortunate to be promoted several times within the state police and have accepted assignments all around the commonwealth."

The Reileys decided they wanted to move back to the Shenandoah Valley when they had kids. Their daughter, Erin, is 7 and son, Joshua, is 4.

"We've been working for a number of years to get back home," Reiley said. "We're not going anywhere. I'm here to offer some stability to the department."

He was transferred into the Culpeper division 1 1/2 years ago. There, he oversees six offices and about 170 employees.

"Having responsibility for such a wide area, so many people, it really pulls my time and attention away from the community," said Reiley, who lives in Woodstock.

He coaches Little League and youth soccer, while his wife is a Scout leader.

Before going to work in Culpeper, Reiley was a lieutenant in the Northern Virginia area, and also had experience with the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and overseeing the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

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New Smithfield police chief has deep local roots | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > New Smithfield police chief has deep local roots

New Smithfield police chief has deep local roots

March 12, 2012 | Virginia News

News Image Bowman leaves VMRC to become Smithfield police chief

SMITHFIELD – Despite a four-month search that attracted 41 applicants from around the country, Smithfield's search for a new police chief ended within town limits.

Virginia Marine Resources Commissioner Steven G. Bowman, a longtime Smithfield resident and former town police officer, will assume the helm of the Smithfield Police Department on April 1. He replaces former chief Mark Marshall, who left in December after being elected sheriff of Isle of Wight County.

"We had some great candidates … but Steve was easily the top contender," said Smithfield Town Manager Peter Stephenson. "He had thorough, thoughtful responses during interviews. I think he will be a good fit within the organization."

Bowman, 52, beat out eight finalists and will be paid $92,500 annually to oversee the department of 22 sworn officers. Capt. Alonzo Howell, one of two internal candidates and interim chief since January, has been named the department's deputy chief.

After six years as head of the VMRC, Bowman said he looks forward to returning to his law enforcement roots.

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VACP President’s Letter to the Editor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > VACP President’s Letter to the Editor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch

VACP President’s Letter to the Editor of the Richmond Times-Dispatch

March 9, 2012 | VACP

VACP President Chief Rick Clark (Galax) addresses an editorial that ran in the Richmond Times-Dispatch on March 7, 2012 titled "Law Enforcement: Fallujah, Va.?".

I take exception with the editorial dated March 7, 2012 published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch titled “Law Enforcement: Fallujah, Va.?” I have been a Virginia Law Enforcement Officer for the past thirty-six (36) years and am currently the Chief of the Galax Police Department and President of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police.

America has watched in horror and disgust the abuse and disregard for human rights in Fallujah, Iraq and across the Middle East. We live in a country where citizens, including the press, are free to express their opinion and not fear reprisals from the government, unlike Iraq. It is ludicrous to compare the Virginia Capitol Police and Virginia State Police to the Iraqi Police.

The author was correct in stating that Homeland Defense funding was used last year to strategically place Incident Response Vehicles across Virginia. A group of law enforcement agency heads, including police chiefs and sheriffs from every part of the Commonwealth, in partnership with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, placed vehicles in every State Police division across Virginia. The vehicles are designed to protect police, fire and EMS first responders in the performance of their duties.

In the past fifteen years, the shootings at Columbine and the event at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2008 have changed the way police in America train and prepare to fulfill our sworn duties. We have changed the way we equip the young men and women who are willing to stand in harm’s way on a daily basis. Virginia police officers, sheriff’s deputies and troopers are all held to training standards that require the protection of our citizens’ Constitutional rights in police-citizen encounters. The training does not stress military tactics as suggested in the article.

I was not present to witness the events at the Virginia Capitol; I relied on the news reports and photographs for my assessment. I see police officers with shin guards because sometimes people kick the police. I see helmets with shields because sometimes people throw things at officers and spit in their faces. They are appropriately equipped given the situation; they are not wearing ballistic tactical response equipment as the editorial suggested.

I suspect that when the protesters moved to a location not authorized by their permit, they were given a warning and given the opportunity to come back into compliance. I am confident that they were told if they didn’t move they would be arrested and given the opportunity to move.

The Code of Virginia encourages summons in lieu of arrest if a suspected offender complies and cooperates with the arresting officer. The Virginia Capitol Police and Virginia State Police are both well-trained, fully accredited police agencies whose members are aware of this mandate. I believe if those persons who we see being carried by police officers had complied and cooperated, they would have been issued a summons to appear rather than face arrest.

The citizens who were demonstrating at the Capitol that day are passionate about their cause, a right that every American citizen enjoys. They publicized their issues and concerns and were authorized by the government to do so. Only when they did not adhere to the conditions in the permit did the police intervene.

The title of the editorial is a cynical comment that served no purpose other than to be disparaging to the members of two respected Virginia police agencies. The Virginia Division of Capitol Police has protected the center of Virginia government since 1618 and has done so with honor and integrity. The Virginia Department of State Police has served the citizens of the Commonwealth in an exemplary manner and is respected nationally. Neither deserves to be compared to the Iraqi police in any way.

Sincerely,

Chief Richard C. Clark. Jr.
President, Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Letter from VACP President Chief Rick Clark to the Virginia General Assembly | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Letter from VACP President Chief Rick Clark to the Virginia General Assembly

Letter from VACP President Chief Rick Clark to the Virginia General Assembly

February 28, 2012 | VACP

To the Members of the Senate and House:

The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police represents municipal, county, campus law enforcement and state police officers who provide services to over sixty (60) per cent of the citizens of Virginia. The safety of the citizens we serve is a core function of government.

Each law enforcement and public safety agency in Virginia relies on a state spending plan contained in the budget to provide services. The 2006 Attorney General’s opinion makes it clear that Governor McDonnell will be powerless to run the state without a General Assembly approved budget.

The failure to pass a state budget will be devastating for Virginia Law Enforcement and potentially halts critical public safety services at the local and state level. Local law enforcement relies on the Virginia State Police to operate the crucially important state and federal criminal information system. Law enforcement must have the services of the crime laboratory for forensic analysis in our investigations. The court systems have to stay accessible and operational for the citizens of the Commonwealth. The operation of the correctional facilities has to continue to manage convicted criminals serving jail and prison sentences.

If a state budget is not passed local governments regardless of size will not be able to adopt a budget, the failure of the General Assembly will adversely affect every citizen of the Commonwealth. The Constitution of Virginia states, “That government is, or ought to be, instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security of the people, nation, or community.

A state shutdown because we do not have a budget will not allow public safety in Virginia regardless of the color of uniform to provide for the protection and security of the people we have sworn to serve.

The Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police urges the General Assembly to put the safety of Virginia first and ensure the passage of a state budget.

Thank you for your service to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Sincerely,

Chief R.C. Clark, Jr., Galax
President of the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Town of Herndon Appoints New Chief of Police | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Town of Herndon Appoints New Chief of Police

Town of Herndon Appoints New Chief of Police

February 14, 2012 | Virginia News

Herndon, VA (February 8, 2012) – Arthur A. Anselene, town manager of the Town of Herndon, has announced the appointment of Maggie A. DeBoard to the position of Chief of Police. DeBoard assumes her new post on Monday, March 5, 2012.

DeBoard comes to the town’s top law enforcement position from the Fairfax County Police Department, where she has served for more than 25 years in positions of increasing responsibility, culminating in her current role as deputy chief, Investigations and Operations Support.

Prior positions held by DeBoard include commander of the county’s helicopter division, commander of the special operations division, captain of the Franconia district station, and major of the division II patrol bureau. DeBoard began her career with the county in 1986 as a patrol officer.

DeBoard holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from George Mason University. She is also a graduate of the FBI’s National Academy, the Virginia Tech Institute for Leadership in Changing Times, the WestPoint Leadership Course and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Leadership in Police Organization Course.

DeBoard has extensive experience in community policing, training, leadership, officer safety, and collaborative efforts with other law enforcement agencies. As president of the Fairfax, VA-based Police Unity Tour, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty, she is actively involved in fundraising for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund in Washington, DC.

As the chief of the Herndon Police Department, DeBoard assumes the helm of an agency that is nationally accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies as well as state accredited through the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission. The department consists of 57 sworn officers and 15 support personnel. DeBoard succeeds Colonel Toussaint E. Summers, Jr., who retired from the department in November 2011.

The Town of Herndon was incorporated by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia on January 14, 1879. Located in western Fairfax County, Herndon is the 3rd largest town in the Commonwealth and is home to more than 23,000 citizens. Businesses located within the Town of Herndon range from high tech enterprises and major corporations to entrepreneurially-owned establishments. Business Week Magazine has named Herndon one of the nation’s “Best Affordable Suburbs,” Money Magazine has ranked Herndon among its “Best Places for the Rich and Single,” and CNNMoney.com has named Herndon one of the “Best Places to Live in America.” Visit the town online at www.herndon-va.gov.

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Media Contact: Anne Curtis, (703) 435-6800 X2010 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Warrenton gets new top cop | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Warrenton gets new top cop

Warrenton gets new top cop

February 8, 2012 | Virginia News

News Image It’s official; acting Warrenton Police Chief Lou Battle is now the town’s top cop.

Town Manager Ken McLawhon announced the move Wednesday morning.

Battle was originally hired as the deputy chief of police in February 2007. He has been acting chief since his predecessor, Chief Connie Novak, retired last year.

“I am grateful for the opportunity and appreciate the faith the council has put in me,” Battle said. “I will continue to work hard for the community.”

Battle, who had been living in Augusta County, will now move closer to Fauquier to shorten his commute. Before coming to Warrenton, he spent 26 years as a member of the Miami Dade Police Department where he retired as a senior bureau commander in charge of tactical operations.

Battle has two master’s degrees. He also graduated from the FBI National Academy, the Southern Police Institute’s Command Officers Development Course and the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police.

He is an adjunct professor and an expert witness on police operations, policies and procedures.

“He is well suited to continue the tradition of service and excellence which embodies the Warrenton Police Department,” McLawhon said.

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Supreme Court: Warrant Needed For GPS Tracking | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Supreme Court: Warrant Needed For GPS Tracking

Supreme Court: Warrant Needed For GPS Tracking

January 24, 2012 | National News

The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that police must have a search warrant to place a GPS tracker on a suspect's vehicle. It's a key ruling carving out personal privacy space in the high-tech era. While the ruling was unanimous, the justices split three ways as to whether the decision went far enough.

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

The U.S. Supreme Court is stepping - albeit gingerly - into the question of privacy in the information age. The court has ruled that police have to obtain a court-authorized warrant before they place a GPS device on a suspect's car. While the outcome was unanimous, the justices split three ways as to whether that decision went far enough. We'll have two reports, beginning with NPR's legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

NINA TOTENBERG, BYLINE: The court's unanimous ruling reversed the conviction of a Washington, D.C. nightclub owner sentenced to life in prison for drug trafficking. The justices agreed that his conviction could not stand because the FBI had placed a GPS tracking device on his jeep, and without a warrant, had tracked his every move for 28 days, using the resulting evidence to convict him.

But there the agreement stopped, with the justices divided on the legal rationale, and liberals and conservatives split in unusual ways. The lead opinion, written by Justice Antonin Scalia, said that because the tracking device was physically placed on the car, at a minimum, it was a search within the original meaning of the Constitution's ban on searches of property without a warrant.

Left unresolved were major issues involving cell phones, e-mails, tracking by remote device, even long-term tracking by aerial surveillance. Does the government need a warrant to get access to that sort of information, where there's been no physical intrusion on property? George Washington University professor Orrin Kerr says such questions remain unresolved.

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Governor McDonnell Announces Public Safety Agenda for 2012 Session | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Governor McDonnell Announces Public Safety Agenda for 2012 Session

Governor McDonnell Announces Public Safety Agenda for 2012 Session

January 19, 2012 | Virginia News

Includes Initiatives to Toughen Penalties for Repeat Drug Dealers, Better Protect Victims of Crime, and Strengthen the Commonwealth for Future Public Safety Needs

RICHMOND – Building on the public safety proposals outlined in his State of the Commonwealth address last week, Governor Bob McDonnell today announced his public safety agenda for the 2012 General Assembly session at an afternoon press conference on Capitol Square. He was joined by Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, members of the General Assembly and public safety officials. Highlights of the agenda include legislation to: provide tough mandatory minimum sentences for repeat drug dealers, and life sentences for sex offenders who prey on children; further protect victims of crime; streamline procedures for Virginia's asset forfeiture laws; and, strengthen the response to emergencies and ensure maximum protection for victims.

The governor also introduced budget proposals to provide law enforcement with the tools they need to keep our streets safe. He has continued to support "599" funding for local law enforcement, restored financial support for sheriffs, and provided new resources for 40 vacant positions in the Virginia State Police. In addition, the governor has included budget language so that localities have a mechanism for obtaining authorization for new drug courts, at their expense, as long as they meet certain requirements and provide data necessary to evaluate their success.

Speaking about his public safety agenda, Governor McDonnell remarked, "Public safety is the foremost priority of government. It is paramount that we continue to work to ensure that we have safe streets and communities so that our children are growing and learning in a safe environment; businesses are able to thrive and expand; and, families continue to choose to make Virginia their home. As I said last week in my State of the Commonwealth address, a more secure society is a more prosperous society. This starts with ensuring that those who violate our laws, and endanger and target our young people, are kept off the streets. That's why I am proposing tough mandatory minimum sentences for repeat drug dealers and life sentences for sex offenders who prey on children. We are also working to end the cycle of drug addiction by providing localities with a mechanism for obtaining authorization for new drug courts. Additionally, I am proposing legislation to improve and strengthen laws to protect victims of crime. This includes increasing punishment for anyone who financially exploits elderly or incapacitated adults, and raising the penalty for assault and battery of a family or household member from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 6 felony when the offense is through strangulation. Building on our ongoing prisoner re-entry efforts, we are advancing legislation that establishes a new pilot program called 'SURE' for non-violent offenders who violate conditions of their probation. This program provides an alternative to prison for felony non-violent offenders who violate conditions of probation. The program's goal is to reduce the number and frequency of probation violations and free up judges and probation and parole officers to deal with more serious offenders."

Governor McDonnell continued, "This year's public safety agenda also aims to better prepare us for future emergencies. Last year, Virginia faced significant natural disasters. Following the August earthquake, too many homeowners were unknowingly left without insurance coverage for earthquakes. We are advancing legislation that will now provide notice regarding earthquake exclusions on insurance to ensure that homeowners and businesses are aware of additional coverage requirements. Last year also tested the effectiveness of our emergency response plans. I am pleased with the coordination between Virginia's Department of Emergency Management and our localities. But these disasters also proved that we can never be too prepared. That is why we are advancing legislation that will better coordinate emergency response by requiring that public institutions of higher education submit in writing that required annual reviews and functional exercises have been conducted. Finally, we are ensuring that public safety needs are funded. In my budget we have maintained critical '599' funding, restored funding to our sheriff's offices and included funding for vacant positions within Virginia State Police. Public safety is a core function of government and, this session, we are advancing an agenda that continues to strengthen our criminal justice system, provides resources to our public safety officials and further protects victims. These proposals will go far to help us achieve our goal of making the Commonwealth a safer place in which to live, work and raise a family."

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli added, "Public safety continues to be one of my paramount priorities as attorney general. Through legislation addressing Medicaid fraud and elder abuse, human trafficking, gang crimes, compensation for families of officers killed in the line of duty and other public safety initiatives, I am proud to present a legislative package that will make Virginia a safer place to live, work and raise our families. I am looking forward to working with the legislature and the governor once again to find ways to better protect our citizens and equip my staff and law enforcement with the tools necessary to effectively fight crime in Virginia."

Delegate Dave Albo, chairman of the House Courts of Justice Committee, noted, "I want to commend Governor McDonnell for again making public safety a priority both through legislation and budget initiatives. Through this agenda I will be advancing key legislation to crack down on drunk driving by establishing mandatory minimum sentences for involuntary manslaughter and aggravated involuntary manslaughter. On average, drunk drivers kill one person a day. Drunk driving is a serious crime and will not be tolerated. We have a duty as lawmakers to protect all Virginians, and this year's public safety agenda will go far to keep offenders off our streets and keep our children, neighborhoods and homes safe."

Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment, Jr., chairman of the Senate Courts of Justice Committee, stated, "Governor McDonnell's public safety legislative agenda sets out specific goals designed to ensure that all Virginians are safe in their communities. This agenda includes protection for children, the elderly and victims of domestic abuse. It will imprison drug dealers for a longer period of time, and those who prey on our children will be sent to prison for life. All of these things cannot happen without the great work of local and state law enforcement officials. We have to make sure they have the tools necessary to enforce the laws we pass as they risk their lives every day in service to the citizens of the Commonwealth."

Governor McDonnell's 2012 Public Safety Agenda:

Toughen Penalties for Repeat Drug Dealers, Violent Sex Offenders and Gang Members

HB968 (R. Bell)/ SB159 (Obenshain) – Toughen Penalties for Repeat Drug Dealers

Increases the penalty for repeat drug dealers. Second-time offenders will face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and third-time or subsequent offenders will face a more significant mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

HB973 (R. Bell)/ SB436 (Obenshain) – Toughen Penalties for Violent Sex Offenders

Imposes a mandatory minimum life sentence for rape, forcible sodomy, and object sexual penetration of a child under the age of 13.

HB624 (Albo)/ SB412 (Norment) – Require Registration for Juvenile Sex Offenders

Requires juveniles over the age of 13 who are adjudicated delinquent for forcible rape, forcible sodomy, or object sexual penetration to register with the Sex Offender and Crime Against Minor Registry. Changes will make Virginia compliant with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

HB1126 (R. Bell)/ SB111 (Howell) – Establishes New Sentencing Program for Nonviolent Offenders Who Violate Probation

Establishes a new sentencing program for nonviolent felony offenders who violate conditions of their probation.

HB49 (Albo)/ SB182 (Stuart) – Toughen Penalties for Involuntary Manslaughter Caused by Driving Under the Influence

Establishes a one year mandatory minimum for involuntary manslaughter resulting from a DUI and a mandatory minimum of five years for aggravated involuntary manslaughter resulting from a DUI.

HB751 (Cline)/ SB345 (McDougle) – Combat Gang Recruitment Through Toughening Penalties for Utilizing Electronic Mediums

Provides that any person who, by telephone or by any electronically transmitted communication producing a visual or electronic message (phone, text, email or social networking site), solicits, invites, recruits, encourages, or otherwise causes or attempts to cause another to actively participate in or become a member of what he knows to be a criminal street gang is guilty of a class 5 felony.

HB718 (Kilgore)/ SB419 (Stanley) – Toughen Penalties for Juvenile Offenders Who Commit Violent Crimes

Allows prosecutors the discretion to have a juvenile who is 14 years of age or older charged with violations of certain gang offenses and repeat violations of certain drug offenses to be transferred to the circuit court for trial as an adult. The bill also provides that juveniles charged with an offense defined as an act of violence, if previously adjudicated delinquent of an act of violence, are automatically transferred to the circuit court for trial as an adult.

Improve Laws to Further Protect Victims of Crime

HB987 ( Loupassi)/ SB431 (Stuart) – Toughen Penalties for the Financial Exploitation of Elderly or Incapacitated Adults

Provides that it unlawful to knowingly, by deception, intimidation, undue influence, coercion, harassment, duress, or misrepresentation, use, obtain, convert, or take control of an elderly or vulnerable adult's property or financial resources with the intent to temporarily or permanently deprive the adult of the use, benefit, or possession of the property or financial resources. The bill allows forfeiture of personal property used in connection with the crime.

HB752 (Cline)/ SB459 (Herring) – Protect Victims of Domestic Violence by Increasing the Penalty for Strangulation

Raises the penalty for assault and battery of a family or household member from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 6 felony when the assault and battery is accomplished by strangling the victim. The bill also raises from a class 6 to a class 5 felony the penalty for assault and battery of a family or household member when the perpetrator has been convicted of certain prior offenses and commits the offense by strangulation.

HB1033 (McClellan)/ SB445 (Vogel) – Strengthen Enforcement of Protective Order through the Expedited Entry into the Virginia Criminal Information Network

Provides a circuit court jurisdiction to hear petitions to modify, dissolve, or extend a permanent protective order if the circuit court issued the order. The bill requires a court, when a protective order is issued, to enter and automatically transfer identifying information to the Virginia Criminal Information Network (VCIN) system.

HB916 (Minchew)/ SB486 (Newman) – Protect Victims by Increasing the Penalty of Harassment Utilizing Social Networking Sites

Makes it a class 1 misdemeanor for a prisoner or a person acting on behalf of a prisoner to use a computer, computer network, or social networking site to harass, intimidate, or threaten a crime victim.

HB504 (Dance)/ SB271 (Marsh) – Strengthen the Commonwealth's Anti-Bullying Efforts

Requires the Virginia Center for School Safety to provide evidence-based anti-bullying training to public school personnel.

Ensure Proper and Streamlined Procedures for Virginia's Asset Forfeiture Laws

HB212 and HB384 (Miller)/ SB325 and SB326 (Carrico) – Ensuring Proper and Streamlined Procedures for Virginia's Asset Forfeiture Laws (Senator Carrico and Delegate Miller)

Legislation seeks to clarify and streamline the Commonwealth's asset forfeiture laws by consolidating the forfeiture provisions found throughout the Code of Virginia into one uniform process.

Strengthen the Commonwealth's Response to Emergencies and Ensuring Maximum Protection for Victims

HB523 (Farrell)/ SB369 (Reeves) – Fire Insurance; Earthquake Coverage Notice

Requires insurance policies that exclude coverage for earthquake damage to provide a notice that earthquake coverage is excluded and that earthquake insurance may be available for an additional premium.

HB305 (Crockett-Stark)/ SB346 (McDougle) – Strengthen the Commonwealth's Institutions of Higher Education Response to Emergencies

Legislation will increase the coordination by the Department of Emergency Management with the Commonwealth's colleges and universities emergency management plans by requiring institutions to certify in writing to the department that the required annual reviews and functional exercises have been conducted.

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Police chiefs discuss terrorism at White House | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Police chiefs discuss terrorism at White House

Police chiefs discuss terrorism at White House

January 18, 2012 | National News

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration is providing senior state and local police officials with its analysis of homegrown terrorism incidents, including common signs law enforcement can use to identify violent extremists.

The warning signs identified for police include someone joining a group advocating violence, receiving support from a network that plans attacks or seeking out charismatic leaders who encourage violence. The analysis was conducted by the Homeland Security Department, the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center.

The conference Wednesday at the White House marks the first time this unclassified analysis will be presented to 46 senior federal, state and local law enforcement officials, many of whom are police chiefs and sheriffs. The conference will also include sessions on other programs the federal government has for countering violent extremism and a briefing from a deputy chief of the Los Angeles Police Department about what the city has done on this front.

"Engaging local communities is critical to our nation's effort to counter violent extremism and violent crime, and this meeting brings together many of our partners," Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said. Napolitano, Attorney General Eric Holder and the president's counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, planned to attend the White House conference.

There has been an uptick in attempted attacks by Americans and other legal U.S. residents in the past few years, prompting the Obama administration to place a priority on finding ways to stop this type of violence. The administration rolled out a thin strategy last year that put local communities — not Washington — in charge of countering violent extremism in the U.S. That strategy was short on details and did not focus on threats from Islamic extremists.

The White House has encouraged law enforcement to reach out to Muslim communities to build relationships, insisting that these communities are partners in the fight against terrorism. At the same time, the government is trying to develop ways to help local law enforcement detect behavior that could indicate someone is plotting a violent attack. The challenge has been to provide behavioral indicators that indicate the potential for violence rather than religious beliefs or other constitutionally-protected rights.

Analysts from the FBI, Homeland Security Department and National Counterterrorism Center reviewed 62 cases of homegrown violent extremists and found basic similarities. The cases included violent extremists who adhered to a mix of ideologies, including people who ascribed to white supremacist beliefs and people inspired by a violent interpretation of Islam. The analysis is not a psychological profile of a homegrown terrorist, but instead offers similarities among cases that could help local law enforcement better understand and detect threats.

In the 62 cases reviewed, the subjects increasingly spoke out against the government, blamed the government for perceived problems and did so in a way that caught the attention of other people in their communities, according to the senior counterterrorism official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private White House event. Subjects became active on the Internet to espouse extremist views. In some cases, the subjects purchased weapons, ammunition or explosive materials.

Analysts found that a person's origin, ethnic background and socioeconomic status are not good indicators for potential violent extremist activity, the senior counterterrorism official said.

Later this month, a training program for local law enforcement on countering violent extremism will be tested in Southern California, and the government intends to roll out the training to the rest of the country through 2012. Part of the training will focus on understanding constitutionally protected activities so law enforcement can distinguish between illegal acts and free speech. The official said the FBI academy plans to incorporate this training into its programs as well.

The FBI came under fire last year for some controversial training sessions that portrayed Islam as a violent religion.

By EILEEN SULLIVAN, Associated Press

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Report shows US police fatalities rose 13 percent in 2011 as firearms-related killings soared | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Report shows US police fatalities rose 13 percent in 2011 as firearms-related killings soared

Report shows US police fatalities rose 13 percent in 2011 as firearms-related killings soared

December 28, 2011 | National News

The number of fatalities from departments across the country caused by firearms made 2011 one of the deadliest years in recent history for U.S. law enforcement.

Across the nation, 173 officers died in the line of duty, up 13 percent from 153 the year before, according to numbers as of Wednesday compiled by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Five officers were killed in Virginia in 2011.

The nonprofit group that tracks police deaths also reported that 68 federal, state and local officers were killed by gunfire in 2011, a 15 percent jump from last year when 59 were killed. It marks the first time in 14 years that firearms fatalities were higher than traffic-related deaths. The data shows that 64 officers died in traffic accidents, down from the 71 killed in 2010.

Craig Floyd, the group’s chairman, blamed the rise on budget cuts to public safety departments. He cited surveys by police groups that showed many cut back on training and delay upgrading equipment, and referenced a Department of Justice report issued in October that said an estimated 10,000 police officers and sheriff’s deputies have been laid off within the past year.

“I’m very troubled that these drastic budget cuts have put our officers at a grave risks,” he said. “Our officers are facing a more brazen cold-blooded element and fighting a war on terror, and we’re giving them less training and less equipment they need to do their jobs safely.”

It’s the second year in a row the number of officers killed in the line of duty has grown. In 2009, the death toll dipped to 122 in a 50-year-low that encouraged police groups even though the year seemed to be an aberration. Otherwise, the number of police deaths has topped 160 five other times since 2000. It routinely topped 200 in the 1970s.

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Survey: Law Enforcement Overburdened by Failure of Mental Health Departments | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Survey: Law Enforcement Overburdened by Failure of Mental Health Departments

Survey: Law Enforcement Overburdened by Failure of Mental Health Departments

December 21, 2011 | National News

A new nationwide survey of 2,406 senior law enforcement officials (75% of whom were officers longer than 20 years) documents police and sheriffs are being tremendously overburdened with the "unintended consequences of a policy change that in effect "removed the daily care of our nation's severely mentally ill population from the medical community and placed it with the criminal justice system." This policy change has caused a spike in the frequency of arrests of severely mentally ill persons...(and) has become a major consumer of law enforcement resources nationwide.

The survey, "Management of the Severely Mentally Ill and its Effects on Homeland Security" by Michael C. Biasotti, vice president, New York State Chiefs of Police while at the Naval Postgraduate School, calls for implementation of Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) laws as a way to improve care for people with mental illness, conserve law enforcement resources, and keep patients and public safer. (See list of 115 law enforcement officers who died during altercations with people with mental illness who were left untreated.)

AOT allows courts to order a subset of severely mentally ill individuals who have a past history of dangerous behavior, arrest, incarceration or multiple hospitalizations to accept treatment as a condition of living in the community.

According to the survey:

84.28 percent (or 1,866) of the law enforcement respondents said there been an increase in the mentally ill population over the length of their career.
63.03 percent (n=1,391) of respondents reported the amount of time that their department spends on calls for service involving individuals with mental illness increased (during their career). An additional 17.72 percent reported that the time spent had substantially increased, totaling 70.7 percent (n=1,782) of respondents reporting an increase.
56% said the increase in calls is due to the inability to refer mentally ill to treatment and 61% said more persons with mental illness are being released to the community.
The officers claimed that mental illness related calls take significantly longer than larceny, domestic dispute, traffic, and other calls.

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Halifax police chief to take job with sheriff’s department | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police

Home > VACP News > Halifax police chief to take job with sheriff’s department

Halifax police chief to take job with sheriff’s department

December 21, 2011 | Virginia News

News Image Halifax Police Chief David E. Martin will resign effective Dec. 31, Town Manager Carl Espy announced Tuesday.

After serving the residents of the Town of Halifax since September 2006, he has accepted a position with the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, Espy said.

“It has been a real pleasure serving the Town of Halifax over the past six years,” Martin said Tuesday afternoon.

In his letter of resignation, Martin wished Espy and the Town of Halifax continued success and offered to help with the training of his replacement.

“Thank you for allowing me to serve the fine residents and business owners of the Town of Halifax and for your continued commitment to excellence and integrity in all town business,” Martin wrote.

Town Manager Espy commented on the police chief’s resignation saying, “It has been a great pleasure and honor working with David in his capacity as chief of police since September 2006. Over the past five years, the chief and all the professionally trained police department staff under his leadership have continuously aspired to the high standard of serving the community they are sworn to protect with courtesy and compassion while remaining undeterred in upholding and enforcing the law. Such a balance of civility and public safety requires unique talents, characteristics and character; those attributes haven’t gone unnoticed by those within the community David works alongside everyday.

“The town has been fortunate to have David serving as chief during this juncture of his career in law enforcement,” Espy continued, “and I take comfort knowing he will be working nearby at the Halifax County Sheriff’s Department serving with his peers under a new command.”
Espy said during the transition he along with Halifax Mayor Dick Moore, Finance Chairman Holt Evans, Chief Martin and Lieutenant David Irby will work together “going forward.”

Martin began his law enforcement career in the town at the Halifax Police Department in February 1991 as a patrolman.

He has also served as chairman on the Halifax County Board of Supervisors, a military police officer and team leader at Fort Pickett Military Police, Halifax County Sheriff’s Office deputy and officer and shift supervisor at South Boston Police Department.

He served as marketing coordinator at The Software Factory, vice president of Sales, founder and part owner of Pure Internet and shift manager at Domino’s Pizza.

Martin also has served as president of Destination Downtown South Boston and a representative on the Halifax County Board of Supervisors.

He received his associates degree in administration of justice from Danville Community College and a diploma in Arabic language from Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Calif. He is fluent in reading, writing and speaking Arabic.

Martin served in the Army National Guard from 1997-2000 and the United States Air Force from 1992-1994. He received several awards including, Chief’s Letter of Commendation (Quick Action), Police Service Commendation Medal (Lifesaving), Air Force Achievement Award (Outstanding Service), Air Force Commendation Letter (Lifesaving), Air Force Honor Graduate Ribbon and Police Academy Award-Pistol Marksman.

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Harrisonburg Police Chief to Retire in March | Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police