Patrol

     The deputies constituting the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office are vested with the power to enforce the criminal laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the ordinances and regulations of the County of Accomack.  The Patrol Deputies respond to approximately 15,000 calls per year.   Each deputy shall endeavor to prevent the commission of offenses against the laws of the Commonwealth and against the ordinances and regulations of the county. They shall also be responsible to detect and arrest offenders against the same, and shall secure the inhabitants from violence and the property therein from injury.

Civil Process

     The purpose of service of civil process is to provide timely notice to a person or legal entity (business or organization) of pending legal action in which they are somehow involved.  The notice may be in the form of a variety of legal documents, and must be served in accordance with the law as it pertains to the particular document used. Civil Process deputies serve approximately 14,000 court documents per year.

Jail

     The Accomack County Jail has clearly defined philosophies, goals, and objectives when it comes to the detention of adults.  The Correctional staff and their supervisors are familiar with these and strive to achieve a safe and secure Jail facility.  The Accomack County Jail is maintained to comply with all local, state and federal regulations. The Accomack County Jail is a maximum security jail with an average daily inmate population of 95.  Inmate charges range from murder to shoplifting. The Accomack County Jail shall attempt to maintain those held in custody in a safe and humane manner until legally released.

Investigations

     The Accomack County Sheriff’s Office employs five criminal investigators.  The investigative division handles all of the major crimes committed in the county of Accomack.  They are trained in the latest forensic science technology in order to identify, collect and preserve physical evidence at crime scenes.  This information is vital for the successful prosecution of defendants in our criminal justice system.  Our investigators are qualified to handle a vast array of offenses from a simple larceny to complex murder investigations.

Animal Control

Courtroom Security

     The Accomack County Sheriff's Office also provides all the security for the Accomack County General District, Juvenile and Domestic Relations, and Circuit Courts.   The Accomack County Sheriff's Office is also responsible for providing the courts with Bailiff's to provide security and order in the Court rooms.

Code Enforcement

     A Deputy Sheriff of the Accomack County Sheriff's Office performs enforcement of codified county regulations with emphasis on enforcing county codes related to unlicensed vehicles, solid waste disposal, dangerous structures, overgrowth, and use of public boating facilities.  The Officer is responsible for enforcing county codes, monitoring activity at certain public sites, garbage sites, docks/boat ramps and assisting in emergency services.

School Resource Officer

     The School Resource Officer Program puts a law enforcement officer into the high schools of Accomack County.  The program is designed to provide a safe and secure learning environment for the students, faculty and administration.  The resource officers also interacts with the students to help dispel any misconceptions of law enforcement and to assist in any way possible to further the education of the students.  The resource officers also teach various classes pertaining to law enforcement issues, legal matters, drug use, alcohol use, drinking and driving, school safety, and other various topics.  The School Resource Officers work closely with School personnel and the members of the Accomack County School Board.

Dispatchers

     The communications officers are the “hub” of the Sheriff’s Office.  All communications go through this office.  They receive and dispatch for the Accomack County Sheriff’s Office, the other outlying police agencies, animal control services, and game wardens that operate within the limits of Accomack County.  There are times when they must coordinate all of these agencies at any given time.  The Accomack County Sheriff’s Office maintains a communications watch twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year.  They deal with both non-emergency and emergency calls.  They are responsible for prioritizing calls from most serious to lesser degrees of severity, they must maintain logs of all communications and calls that come into the office, they monitor security for homes, banks, businesses and county office buildings, they organize the house check program, and also must monitor exterior security for the Accomack County Jail.

D.A.R.E.

     The Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) is a validated, copyrighted, comprehensive drug and violence prevention education program for children in kindergarten through 12^th grade.  D.A.R.E. represents a collaborative effort between school and law enforcement personnel.  The program is nationally coordinated by D.A.R.E. America, with input received from state and local agencies and communities.

     The D.A.R.E. curriculum is designed to equip elementary, middle, and high school students with the appropriate skills to resist substance abuse, violence, and gangs.  More than 22,000 community-oriented law enforcement officers from 7,000 communities throughout the country have taught the core curriculum to more than 25 million elementary school students. In 1995 alone, it is expected that 5.5 million children representing 250,000 classrooms will receive the core curriculum.  An additional 20 million students will be influenced by the D.A.R.E. components of kindergarten through fourth grade visitation lessons, junior and senior high curriculums, the special education curriculum, the parent program and the D.A.R.E. P.L.U.S. (Play and Learn Under Supervision) after school activity program.

     D.A.R.E. is taught by law enforcement officers in 19 countries and is being implemented in Department of Defense Schools worldwide.

K-9

Special Units

     The Accomack County Sheriff's Office utilizes specialized training and methods for the new and challenging problems that face the county today. With the new challenges two specialized teams were formed to deal with these scenarios.  They are the Tactical Team (Similar to S.W.A.T. in other agencies) and the dive team.  Each are specially trained to handle the more severe situations that may arise.