Henrico County Police Department

Henrico County Division of Police
Common name	Henrico Police
Abbreviation	HCPD
Agency overview
Formed	December 14, 1871
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction*	County (US) of Henrico in the state of Virginia, USA

Map of Henrico County Division of Police's jurisdiction.
Size	245 square miles (630 km²)
Population	306,935
Legal jurisdiction	Henrico County
Governing body	County (US)
Constituting instrument	Yes
General nature	Law enforcement Local civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Richmond, Virginia
Police Officers	584
Agency executive	Douglas A. Middleton, Chief of Police
Facilities
Stations	3
Boats	1
Planes	1
Website
Official Website
Footnotes
* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

The Henrico County Division of Police is the primary law enforcement agency serving 306,935 people within 245 square miles (630 km²) of jurisdiction within Henrico County, Virginia.

History

The first known police department in the county began December 14, 1871, with the appointment of a special police officer. In 1908, the Board of Supervisors recommended that a mounted patrol be used. The Division of Police was officially created in 1915 with T. Wilson Seay elected as the first chief of police. In 1934 when the county converted to the county manager form of government, the department had eight officers. In 1938, the board of supervisors placed the Division of Police under the direct control of the county manager.^[1]

The department has 584 sworn police officers. The agency is headed by Colonel Douglas A. Middleton. Middleton was sworn in as an officer with the Henrico County Division of Police on November 29, 1972. Prior to taking the Chief's office on April 9, 2011, Middleton served as Deputy Chief of Henrico County Police for nearly 14 years. The Chief of Police is appointed by the county manager and is the chief law enforcement officer in the county.^[2]

Select Operational Units

The HCPD has the following operational units:

Traffic Crash Team The Traffic Crash Team enforce traffic laws, investigate traffic complaints, conduct traffic safety surveys and work with traffic engineers. They also provide assistance with funeral and dignitary escorts, school crossing posts, and they are responsible for breathalyzer equipment maintenance and record keeping.
Marine Patrol Unit The Marine Patrol Unit officers ensure the safety of its citizens while on the waterways.
Animal Protection The Animal Protection unit cares to rescued animals, rabies shots clinics four times annually, animal rescue, and education and training on the following topics: pet owner pet care responsibility, pet owner civic responsibility, pet disease prevention and proactive health care, customized programs for your group or organization.
Metro Aviation Unit The Metro Aviation Unit provides aerial surveillance for foot and vehicle pursuits, traffic control, drug interdiction, and provide a perspective from above for fire fighting, accident scenes, and disaster damage.
Motor Unit The Motor Unit conduct traffic safety operations, speed enforcement and provide escorts for visiting dignitaries and funeral processions.
Motorist Assistance The Motorists Assistance unit report traffic hazards and perform other duties as required.
Safety Officer (Crossing Guards) The Safety Officer unit serves as a liaison with Pupil Transportation, the Division of Fire, and traffic engineers regarding school crossings, parking, and other traffic related issues.^[3]

Fallen officers

Since the establishment of the Henrico County Police Department, 9 officers have died in the line of duty.^[4]

Officer	Date of Death	Details
Police Officer John H. Yarbrough	Saturday, July 6, 1895	Gunfire
Officer Lewis Ray Beddow	Sunday, September 8, 1946	Vehicular assault
Patrolman Welford Early Green	Wednesday, December 22, 1948	Gunfire
Patrolman Jerry Edwin Trimmer	Monday, August 15, 1966	Automobile accident
Patrolman Barry Wayne Maham	Tuesday, August 8, 1978	Gunfire
Patrolman Donald A. Stillman	Thursday, November 8, 1984	Gunfire
Officer John Patrick Harris	Friday, August 19, 1994	Automobile accident
Officer William Herman Edwards iii	Monday, February 2, 1998	Motorcycle accident
Officer Andre Gerard Booker	Sunday, January 12, 2003	Drowned

References

External links

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