The Chief of Police is responsible for the overall management of the Department, including the major areas of personnel administration, training, fiscal management, and policy formulation. As a department head, the Chief of Police reports directly to the County Executive. The Chief of Police is assisted in the management of the Department by a policy board comprised of the Deputy Chiefs and Bureau Commanders. In the absence of the Chief of Police, the authority for the management of the Department will be designated by the Chief of Police to one of the Deputy Chiefs for the period of the absence.

Reporting to the Office of the Chief, the Internal Affairs Bureau oversees administrative investigations relating to the conduct of department personnel, and inspections of organizational components. The Bureau also provides assistance to the Office of the County Attorney in the investigation of civil actions that are filed against the agency, Chief of Police, or other members of the department acting in performance of their duties.

The Internal Affairs Bureau is comprised of two divisions: the Investigations Division and the Inspections Division.

The Division is also responsible for processing subpoenas which request departmental records.

The Bureau Commander reports the findings and progress of such investigations and inspections directly to the Chief of Police.

Reporting to the Office of the Chief, the Community Policing Initiatives Division is responsible for the coordination and implementation of internal workgroup results designed to further the agency's mission and commitment to total community policing. Through organized and informal settings, the division provides information to staff on developments and changes in the agency affecting community policing initiatives.

Staff assigned to the division provide communications and public relations support to the Chief and serve as agency liaison with other County agencies and departments to ensure consistency and thoroughness of community policing efforts. The unit also identifies opportunities for employing community policing and problem solving tactics to the Chief and Deputy Chiefs of Police.

The Division works closely with the Crime Analysis Unit, to ensure that crime analysis data is provided for command personnel to support decisions affecting both the long term allocation of resources and short term tactical responses to particular community problems.

The Deputy Chief of Police for Investigations and Operations Support is responsible for the development and management of major policy programs in support of the Criminal Investigations Bureau and the Operations Support Bureau. Responsibility consists of administrative and operational oversight for numerous specialized services including major crimes investigations, organized crime and narcotics, victim services, special operations, traffic, helicopter support and the Emergency Management Office.

The Deputy Chief of Police for Investigations and Operations Support, together with the Deputy Chief of Police for Administration and the Deputy Chief of Police for Patrol, assist the Chief in the administration of the Department's budget, conducting public relations activities, developing department policy, and share in the responsibility of personal representation of the Chief of Police, as necessary.

The Deputy Chief of Police for Administration is responsible for the supervision and the delivery of services provided by the Public Information Office, Technical Services Bureau, Administrative Support Bureau, Public Safety Communications Center, Information Technology Bureau and the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy.

The Deputy Chief of Police for Administration also assists in planning and is responsible for administration of the departmental budget, conducting public relations activities and shares responsibility with the Deputy Chief of Police for Investigations and Operations Support and the Deputy Chief of Police for Patrol in personal representation of the Chief of Police, when necessary

The Deputy Chief of Police for Patrol is responsible for the Animal Services function, Youth Services Division, and the seven district stations which provide emergency and routine police patrol response and a wide range of community police services to the public on a continuous basis. District station community policing efforts include the deployment of Neighborhood Patrol Units, Selective Enforcement Teams, Crime Prevention Officers, School Resource Officers, and School Education Officers.

Additional district station resources include Criminal Investigation Sections (property crimes, telephone threats, prescription fraud and stalking) and the station Crime Analyst. Community Policing initiatives and liaison with communities are facilitated at the district stations through neighborhood meetings, neighborhood watch groups, the station's Citizen Advisory Committee, and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS).

District station programs and services are further promoted through regular and timely communication with elected officials, school officials, and representatives of the business community. Additionally, the Crime Analysis Unit is coordinated from the Deputy Chief's office, as are the activities of the Staff Duty Officers. Duty Officers are staff officers responsible for the agency outside of normal work hours.

Reporting to the Deputy Chief of Police for Administration, the Information Technology Bureau is responsible for the development of alternative approaches, policies and procedures for a variety of operational and administrative activities in keeping with the priorities, plans and direction of the agency.

This entity is comprised of two functional divisions: Information Management and Information Resources. Activities performed include feasibility studies, forms design, project/program evaluations, monitoring criminal justice legislation, coordinating the development of automated systems and applications, and managing the Department's network and automated resources. Additional responsibilities include the task of ensuring on-going departmental compliance with all standards of accreditation, managing and coordinating grant related activities of the Department, developing short and long range departmental plans and projects, legislative proposals, and statistical information related to crime, staffing requirements, workload, and resource allocation.

The Information Technology Bureau is also responsible for the preparation and maintenance of departmental policies and procedures such as the General Orders and the development, creation and publication of informational and reference documents. Information Technology staff also serve as a coordination and review function for informational items responding to Board initiatives. Information Technology Services provides technical, analytical, and research assistance to operational and administrative components of the Department concerning a wide range of criminal justice and management issues.

The Patrol Bureau is comprised of Animal Services, Youth Services and seven district stations, divided into three separate divisions. Division I includes Animal Services and the Reston and Fair Oaks District Stations. Division II contains the McLean and Mason District Stations and the Youth Services Division. Division III includes the Mt. Vernon, Franconia and West Springfield District Stations and the Court Liaison Section. District stations are responsible for providing emergency and routine police patrol response, and a wide range of community police services to the public on a continuous basis.

Operational and administrative decision making with respect to resource allocation, crime prevention activities, specific investigations, tactical response and crossing guards is the responsibility of the Patrol Bureau and its district station commanders. Staff direction and support for the district station commanders is provided by the Patrol Bureau commanders in their roles as members of the Administrative Staff. Additional staff and administrative support for the school resource officers, school education officers, Gang Investigations Unit, and the crime prevention officers is provided by the Youth Services Division.

The Court Liaison Section is responsible for maintaining lines of communication between this agency and the Office of the Sheriff, Office of the Commonwealth Attorney, the Clerk of the Court and Judges. Court Liaison also assists other police departments conducting business in the Fairfax County Court House.

The Field Training Coordinator is also a component of the Patrol Bureau. The Coordinator is responsible for oversight and coordination of district station field training officers.

The Criminal Investigations Bureau is responsible for the investigation of major offenses which require a degree of specialization or a centralized investigative approach. The Bureau is comprised of three components:

The Major Crime Division consists of eight specialized units which are designated Homicide, Robbery, Sex , Auto, Financial Crimes, Fugitive, and Child Services. The Major Crimes Division also includes the Special Investigations Section. The Special Investigations Section's components include Forensic Artist, Computer Forensics, Crime Analysis and Electronic Surveillance.

The Organized Crime and Narcotics Division investigates violations related to the Drug Control Act, gambling, prostitution, pornography and organized crimes. The Organized Crime and Narcotics Division has two components: 1) Narcotics Investigations Section; and 2) Street Crimes Unit.

The Investigative Support Division encompasses the Crime Scene Section, the Victim Services Section, and the Forensics Facility.

The Crime Scene Section is responsible for providing specialized evidence collection techniques at crime scenes and within controlled technical workrooms isolated from crime scenes. The Victim Services Section's function is to assist victims of felony crimes, domestic violence or other crimes causing injury or death and help witnesses in prosecution cases to participate effectively in the criminal justice process.

The Operations Support Bureau (OSB) provides specialized support to all units of the Department. OSB is comprised of the Special Operations Division, Traffic Division, Helicopter Division and Emergency Management Office.

The Special Operations Division consists of the following sections: Tactical, K-9, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Marine Patrol and Underwater Search and Recover (non-standing unit).

The Traffic Division is composed of the Traffic Selective Enforcement Services Unit (Motorcycle Section, Motor Carrier Safety Section and the Accident Reconstruction Section), the Traffic Management Services Unit (Virginia Department of Transportation Liaison Officer, Parking Enforcement Section, Traffic Information Center, School Crossing Guard Services, and the Inoperative Vehicle Unit) and the Traffic Safety Services Unit (DWI Coordinator, Alcohol Test Unit, Auxiliary Police and the Traffic Safety Unit).

The Emergency Management Office is responsible for the coordination, development and maintenance of plans and resources necessary for responding to and mitigating the effects of a major disaster. Additionally, the Emergency Management Office maintains the facility for coordinating inter-agency response to disasters.

The Technical Services Bureau provides support in a variety of areas related to police operations and comprises two divisions: the Field Support Division and the Technical Support Division.

The Field Support Division includes the Property Section and Fleet Management.

The Technical Support Division includes the Central Records Section and the Northern Virginia Regional Identification System (NOVARIS).

Financial Resources and Personnel Resources fall under the purview of the Administrative Support Bureau. The Financial Resources Division provides support to existing employees in the areas of payroll and benefits. It also is responsible for providing fiscal and budgetary support, to include budget development and monitoring, accounts payable and receivable, and procurement to all departmental entities.

The Personnel Resources Division handles applicant/employment processing, polygraph services, health services (medical examinations and pathogenic exposures), worker's compensation and position classification/description/control, and provides support through aggressive applicant recruitment and testing. This entity also provides insight and counsel on issues involving minority affairs and works closely on the agency's mentoring efforts, career development, and promotional processes.

The Public Safety Communications Center serves the Police and Fire and Rescue Departments. Emergency and Non-Emergency calls are received, recorded, classified, and processed by dispatching law enforcement, fire suppression, or non-emergency medical resources. Subsequent to the initial dispatch, the center provides communications support and notification services throughout the resolution of the situation. These activities are supported by public safety telephone, radio, and computer-aided dispatching systems.

The Teletype Section is responsible for all NCIC/VCIN entries, deletions, confirmations, and file maintenance for wanted and missing persons, vehicles, property and weapons. The Section is the department's point of contact for NLETS transactions including the transmission to and receipt of administrative messages from other agencies on the system.

The Citizen Reporting Unit processes investigative reports for certain types of criminal incidents over the telephone in lieu of the immediate dispatch of a police officer. To file an on-line Police Incident Report please click here.

The Criminal Justice Academy is responsible for the administration of the Department's training. This includes basic recruit training, in service training, firearms training, and drivers' training. Supplemental specialized courses are also scheduled for sworn law enforcement personnel. Additionally, the Academy provides dispatcher training to employees of the Public Safety Communications Center.

All programs are monitored and evaluated to ensure that they are of the highest quality of training, as well as meeting or exceeding standards set by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Board and the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission.