About the VBSO
Under the leadership of Sheriff Rocky Holcomb, the 500 appointees of the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office work for the public safety and betterment of Virginia Beach by operating the Correctional Center, providing Courthouse security, serving civil paperwork, and volunteering in the community. We accomplish our mission through our core values: commitment, integrity, compassion, and professionalism.
The Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office is a constitutional office that operates under Virginia §15.2-1609 . The Sheriff is elected by the voters to four-year terms.
Services of the Sheriff's Office
The services provided by the Sheriff's Office are divided into two primary divisions:
Operations | Administration |
|---|---|
Correctional Operations - Responsible for the operation of the Correctional Center, including providing for the safety, security, care and custody of persons admitted to the facility. Commands the Emergency Response Team. | Court Support/Civil Process/Transportation - Provides security and order in the various Virginia Beach courts and processes and serves civil documents received from the courts. Transports juvenile and adult offenders to and from court as well as local and state correctional facilities. Commands the Crisis Negotiations Team." |
Correctional Administration - Provides for the feeding, recreation and medical care of inmates in addition to overseeing Sheriff's Office contracts. | Training - Provides staff training to include initial and ongoing in-service training. |
Correctional Support - Processes arrestees for all law enforcement agencies utilizing the VBCC. This involves fingerprinting and photographing each arrestee. This is a contract between the City and the Sheriff's Office and is 100% locally funded. Keeps inmate records, handles laundry, property and mail for the jail, and runs the Reentry and Alternative Sentencing programs. | Community Outreach - Coordinates community outreach and volunteer initiatives and commands the Honor Guard, Recruitment Team and Auxiliary Deputy Program. |
Criminal Intelligence Unit/Classification - Investigates and prosecutes any criminal misconduct or rule violation committed by those persons incarcerated within the VBCC. Also assists with other law enforcement investigations. Is responsible for all inmate housing assignments as well as screening inmates for work and life programs, such as the GED and Substance Abuse programs. Commands the K9 Unit. Maintains compliance with Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) standards. | Maintenance/Workforce - Is responsible for all maintenance functions of the Correctional Center and Law Enforcement Training Academy. Takes low-risk offenders out into the community to provide landscaping and maintenance services for the City. In charge of projects, procurement and Information Technology. |
Food Service - Operates the Canteen and the Inmate and Staff kitchens. | Administration - Provides human resources and financial administration for the office. Includes the Public Information Office, which responds to requests from the public and the media, communicates with the office and manages its social media accounts. |
Emergency Planning/Accreditation - Oversees Sheriff's Office emergency operations, maintains compliance with state accreditation standards, develops and implements office policies and procedures, and conducts grant research. |
Professional Standards - Investigates complaints and incidents involving appointees of the Sheriff's Office and ensures compliance with polices and procedures, safety standards and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Administers the Naloxone program.