Virginia News & Announcements
Four Deaths over New Year’s Holiday
RICHMOND - For the first time in 16 years, traffic fatalities declined sharply in Virginia ending the year with a reported 808 deaths across the Commonwealth. The fatality count includes the deaths of 73 pedestrians. The 2008 preliminary number is a sharp contrast to the 1,026 individuals who lost their lives in traffic crashes in 2007.
Former police chiefs find it hard to hang up their hats
December 27, 2008 | Virginia News
Retired police chiefs on the Peninsula appear to be reluctant to spend their days tending to their garden and turning up at the occasional social function.On Tuesday, another name from the past emerged to head a Hampton Roads police force, albeit on a temporary basis. Thomas H. Townsend was named Suffolk's interim chief of police, effective Jan. 1.
Governor Kaine Announces Revenue Reforecast, Plan to Address Shortfall
December 18, 2008 | Virginia News
Shortfall for the biennium approximately $2.9 billionGov. Timothy M. Kaine yesterday presented a budget for the next two years that eliminates more than 1,500 jobs, doubles the cigarette tax, freezes state wages and makes deep cuts to education, health care and public safety.
Speaking to the General Assembly money committees in Richmond, Kaine also outlined a policy change to save money by reducing the prison population -- specifically, by not jailing people for minor technical violations of parole, and by allowing inmates convicted of nonviolent crimes to be released up to 90 days early.
Richmond Times-Dispatch Article (External Link)
Governor's Press Release (External Link)
Slain student called 911, but no one came in time
December 16, 2008 | National News
Brittany Zimmerman, a 21-year-old Wisconsin college student who wanted to be a doctor, called 911 as she was being attacked by a stranger, police say.Brittany Zimmerman's screams and struggle for her life were captured by a 911 tape. But the police did not come for 48 minutes. By that time, Zimmerman was dead. Her fiance found her body.
Although the dispatcher claimed later to have heard nothing, the 911 tape captured screams, gasps and what sounds like a struggle, according to the court documents.
Giles County Sheriff’s Office K-9 accidentally shot
December 12, 2008 | Virginia News
A K-9 with the Giles County Sheriff's Office was accidentally killed while police responded to a call early Friday morning.Carson, a three-year-old Belgian Malinois, went in, but came out in bad shape. Sheriff Millirons says an officer with an assisting agency accidentally shot the dog once. Carson is considered a deputy. A memorial service is being arranged for early next week.
Supreme Court Argument Report: A Dirty Look and a Bulge
December 11, 2008 | National News
In a Fourth Amendment case argued Tuesday at the Supreme Court, the justices considered whether, during a traffic stop, a police officer may conduct a pat-down search of a passenger if the officer believes the passenger to be armed and dangerous, but does not have reasonable grounds to believe he or she is engaging in criminal activity.Salem Chief Wins Statewide D.A.R.E. Award
December 8, 2008 | VACP
Salem Police Chief James R. Bryant has been named the state of Virginia’s D.A.R.E. administrator of the year. Virginia State Master Trooper Gene Ayers, the state’s coordinator for Drug Abuse Resistance Education programs, made the presentation.Chief Jacocks Elected to Executive Officer Position of Major Cities Chiefs
December 1, 2008 | VACP
At the annual meeting of the Major Cities Chiefs Association in November, Virginia Beach Police Chief Jake Jacocks was elected by the membership to the position of 2nd Vice-president for a two-year term. Chief Jacocks has previously served for several years as one of two Eastern Regional representatives on the Board of Directors, and continues to serve on the Homeland Security and Legislative Committees.Chief Jacocks also currently serves on the VACP Executive Board.
Central Virginia Regional Narcotics Task Force Announces Drug Distribution Arrest
November 20, 2008 | Virginia News
On November 17, 2008, Earnest Wade Harrison, age 60, of the 500 block of Fairmont Avenue in Chesterfield County was arrested by the Central Virginia Regional Narcotics Task Force. Harrison has been charged with one count of Distribution of Cocaine in Dinwiddie County and one count of Distribution of Cocaine in Chesterfield County. At the time of his arrest, Harrison was incarcerated in the Dinwiddie County Jail on a $50,000.00 secured bond.Partnership with ICE a hot ticket for local law enforcement
November 20, 2008 | National News
WASHINGTON—Local law enforcement agencies across the country are clamoring for the chance to join the federal government in fighting illegal immigration as applications to partner with the immigration service have spiked and new technology brings more interest.Thirty-four new police and sheriff departments signed on to participate in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement 287 (g) program, a federal-local partnership that 67 other law enforcement departments have forged since 2003.
Prince William County in Virginia reported that since officially signing on to the 287(g) program in February, its police and sheriff departments detained more than 1,000 illegal immigrants who had been arrested and charged with crimes.
