Virginia State Police is a state agency, conceived in 1919 and established in 1932, that acts as the state police

State police

State police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national...

 force for the Commonwealth of Virginia. The agency originated out of the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is the governmental agency responsible for registering and titling automobiles and other motor vehicles as well as licensing drivers in the U.S. state of Virginia.-Motor vehicle registration:...

 as an inspector

Vehicle inspection

Vehicle inspection is a procedure mandated by national or subnational governments in many countries, in which a vehicle is inspected to ensure that it conforms to regulations governing safety, emissions, or both. Inspection can be required at various times, e.g., periodically or on transfer of...

 and enforcer of highway laws. It is currently one of fourteen agencies within the Cabinet Secretariat of Public Safety, under the leadership of Marla Decker who succeeded John W. Marshall

John W. Marshall

John W. Marshall served as Secretary of Public Safety in the Cabinet of Virginia Governor Tim Kaine from 2006 to 2010, and Governor Mark Warner from 2002 to 2006....

, a former State Police trooper and U.S. Marshal as Secretary in January, 2010.

Organizational structure

The Department of State Police is primarily divided into three bureaus: Bureau of Field Operations (BFO), Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), and Bureau of Administrative and Support Services (BASS).

• Department of State Police (commanded by the Colonel)
• Bureaus (commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel)
• Divisions (commanded by a Captain)
• Areas (commanded by a First Sergeant)

Uniform and Equipment

The standard Class A Trooper uniform consists of a light gray colored button-up shirt, with long sleeves in winter and short sleeves in summer. A black tie is worn with the long-sleeve shirt. Patches are sewn to each sleeve. Gray pants with a Dark Blue stripe down the sides are worn year round. Black Clarino shoes and Sam Browne belt, without cross strap, gun belt are worn with the uniform.

A black semi-gloss straw Campaign hat is worn year round. A modified winter fur cap can be worn in the colder months.

A dark blue dress blouse and standard black Clarino Sam Browne gun belt, without the cross strap, are worn for special occasions. Dark blue work jackets are utilized for colder months. Black Commando Sweaters, or "wooly pullys" with proper patches and rank can also be worn by Troopers in cold weather.

Sergeants and First Sergeant wear silver, out lined in blue, chevrons showing their rank on both sleeves. Lieutenants and above wear their rank insignia on the shirt collar.

• Issued Weapons

Troopers are issued the Sig Sauer P229 .357 sig DAK pistol, the Remington 870 12 gauge shotgun, and a Colt M4 Carbine patrol rifle.
Previous Issued Weapons

Sig Sauer P229 DA/SA .357 sig Issued from 1997 to 2004

Sig Sauer P228 DA/SA 9mm Issued from 1993 to 1997.

Smith and Wesson S&W Model 1026 10mm DA/SA 5inch barrel stainless semi-auto pistol Issued from 1990 to 1993.

Smith and Wesson S&W Model 64 .38 caliber 4 inch barrel stainless steel revolver issued in mid 1970's to 1990.

Colt Officers Model .38 caliber 4 inch barrel revolver was used from 1967 until the mid 1970's.

Colt .38 caliber 6 inch barrel Official Police Special revolver was used up until 1967.

Thompson submachine gun .45 caliber Used from the 1930s until 1974.

Rank Structure

Rank	Insignia	Description
Colonel Colonel Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Captain Police captain - France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant....
Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
First Sergeant First Sergeant First sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
Master Trooper Master Trooper Master trooper is a rank used by several state police agencies within the United States and in some world militaries.In particular, in the Louisiana State Police, in the United States, it is a rank below sergeant, yet above senior trooper. The insignia for this rank consists of a gold colored 'MT'...		Career Progression, based on length of service, 25+ years
Senior Trooper Senior Trooper Senior trooper is a rank used by several state police agencies within the United States and in some world militaries.It is the third class in the progressive series of state trooper ranks. It is a step below master trooper, yet above trooper first class...		Career Progression, based on length of service, 9+ years
Trooper Trooper Trooper may refer to:In military or police forces:* Trooper , a military private rank* Trooper , a rank used by some police agencies* State trooper, a peace officer in U.S...  II		Career Progression, automatic after 1 year probationary period
Trooper Trooper Trooper may refer to:In military or police forces:* Trooper , a military private rank* Trooper , a rank used by some police agencies* State trooper, a peace officer in U.S...  I		Probationary Trooper, 1st year in the field
Trainee

Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI)

• Lieutenant Colonel
• Major
• Captain
• Lieutenant
• First Sergeant
• Senior Special Agent, Career Progression
• Special Agent

Fallen Officers

Trooper / Inspector	Date of Death	Details
Inspector W. Neville Hatcher	August 19, 1928	Killed while attempting to arrest a murder suspect
Inspector Phillip C. Via	January 11, 1929	Killed due to motorcycle accident while providing an escort for President Calvin Coolidge
Inspector Curtis Lee Wood	March 11, 1929	Killed when he was struck by an intoxicated driver
Inspector Thomas Allen Belt	August 18, 1930	Killed in a motorcycle accident in Loudoun County
Inspector Charles Bazil Bullock	February 15, 1934	Succumbed to injuries received in a motorcycle accident
Inspector William Raymond Thompson	September 23, 1935	Killed while attempting to arrest three bank robbers
Sergeant Charles William Puckett	March 28, 1938	Succumbed to pneumonia contracted while pursuing and arresting a murder suspect
Sergeant Clarence Lemuel Maynard	September 9, 1939	Killed in an accident while responding to a call
Trooper Urshell Thomas Mayo	February 19, 1941	Succumbed to injuries sustained in an accident
Trooper William Stafford Tinsley	September 5, 1942	Killed in an automobile accident
Trooper William Hawthorne Andrews	October 3, 1946	Succumbed to injuries sustained in an automobile accident
Trooper Robert Elvin Caldwell	June 17, 1948	Killed in an automobile accident
Trooper Joseph Benjamin Thomas	June 20, 1950	Killed in an airplane accident
Trooper Robert Edward Porter	June 20, 1950	Killed in an airplane accident
Investigator Wallace Monroe Simpson	October 23, 1951	Shot and killed by an escaped mental patient
Trooper Robert Wright Smith	November 21, 1951	Killed when his patrol car was struck by a passenger train
Trooper Walter Sinton Parrish	October 4, 1953	Killed in an automobile accident
Trooper Robert Louis Loder Jr.	January 31, 1954	Killed in an automobile accident
Trooper Robert Fulton Giles	July 23, 1954	Shot and killed by a suspect during an arrest
Trooper Henry Murray Brooks Jr.	June 10, 1956	Struck and killed by an automobile while investigating an automobile accident
Trooper Charles Eugene (Gene) Morris	March 2, 1962	Shot and killed while assisting deputies make an arrest
Trooper Garland Matthew Miller	June 13, 1963	Killed in an automobile accident
Trooper Warren Yokely Harless	November 18, 1968	Shot and killed while assisting deputies with an arrest
Trooper Jackie Monroe Bussard	May 5, 1970	Killed in an automobile accident
Trooper Donald Edward Lovelace	October 18, 1970	Struck and killed by an automobile during a traffic stop
Trooper Rannie DeWitt Kennedy	November 5, 1973	Killed in an automobile accident during a vehicle pursuit
Trooper James Read Hughes	June 3, 1974	Struck and killed by an automobile during a traffic stop
Investigator Claude Everett Seymour	April 25, 1975	Killed in an automobile accident
Trooper Bernard Walter Wright	January 17, 1976	Killed in an automobile accident during a pursuit
Trooper Garland West Fisher Jr.	November 15, 1976	Shot and killed after being abducted during a traffic stop
Trooper Robert Tinsley Lohr	July 22, 1978	Struck and killed by a vehicle while assisting a motorist
Trooper Robin Lee Farmer	September 3, 1981	Killed in an automobile accident during a pursuit
Special Agent Rodney Dean Grimes	October 9, 1983	Killed in an automobile accident
Trooper Johnny Rush Bowman	August 19, 1984	Stabbed to death when an unidentified male attacked him at his home
Sergeant James Leroy Biggs	December 19, 1984	Shot and killed during a traffic stop
Trooper Leo Whitt	April 12, 1985	Shot and killed during a traffic stop
Trooper Ricky Marshall McCoy	January 3, 1986	Shot and killed during a traffic stop
Trooper Alexander McKie Cochran III	January 15, 1987	Shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance in his neighborhood
Trooper Harry Lee Henderson	March 17, 1987	Struck and killed by a truck during a traffic stop
Trooper Jacqueline Vernon	August 16, 1988	Struck and killed by a Metro Bus during a traffic stop
Trooper Jerry Lynn Hines	February 20, 1989	Shot and killed during a traffic stop
Trooper Jose M. Cavazos	February 24, 1993	Shot and killed during a traffic stop
Trooper Henry Noel Harmon	February 7, 1995	Shot and paralyzed on 1-10-60, & died 2-7-95, due to complications from the wound
Trooper Gregory Patton Fleenor	December 12, 1996	Killed in an automobile accident
Trooper Jessica Jean Cheney	January 17, 1998	Killed while directing traffic at the scene of an accident
Trooper Daniel Lee Williams	December 12, 1999	Died two days after being critically injured in a car accident
Senior Trooper Charles Mark Cosslett	October 23, 2002	Killed in a motorcycle accident
Trooper Michael Todd Blanton	January 29, 2003	After stopping a DUI driver was dragged by vehicle & killed after it crashed
Trooper Kevin Carder Manion	February 18, 2006	Accidentally shot and killed by a rifle that discharged in a wrecked vehicle while being loaded
Senior Trooper Robert A. Hill Sr.	November 24, 2006	Struck and killed by a vehicle during a traffic stop
Trooper Mark David Barrett	September 14, 2010	Drowned during Search and Recovery Team training dive exercise
Trooper Adam M Bowen	June 24, 2011	Killed in an automobile accident

See also

• List of law enforcement agencies in Virginia
• State police
  State police
  State police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national...
  
  
• State patrol
• Highway patrol
  Highway patrol
  A highway patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties.Duties of highway patrols or traffic...
  
  
• Virginia Capitol Police
  Virginia Capitol Police
  The Virginia State Capitol Police is America's oldest police department, originating in 1618.A legislative agency, today the Division of Capitol Police is responsible for:*General Law Enforcement for the Capitol Complex and properties assigned to the agency...
  
  

External links

• Official Website for the Virginia State Police
• Chronological History of the Virginia State Police