Respect, Responsibility & Results

The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard took top honors at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments annual honor guard competition on Saturday, May 4. The team finished in first place in the drill competition and was also named best dressed. The competition took place immediately following the annual wreath laying ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial hosted by COG’s Correctional Chiefs Committee to mark the beginning of National Correctional Officers and Employees Week which ran from Sunday, May 5 through Saturday, May 11.

The George Washington Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution honored two Alexandria deputy sheriffs with Law Enforcement Commendation Medals at a luncheon on Saturday, May 11. Scott Brice Stephens, co-chair of the Public Service and Heroism Awards, and Paul Wagoner, who chairs the ROTC Awards but was assisting Mr. Stephens, presented Lieutenant Melissa Josiah and Deputy Ernesto Arroyo with certificates and medals during the Chapter’s lunch meeting at Belle Haven Country Club.

This summer, the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office is once again offering a special four-day program for young people ages 11 to 17. The 2013 Youth Academy will be held Monday, August 5 through Thursday, August 8. Kids will learn about the Sheriff’s Office as they ride along with deputies, experience tactical demonstrations, tour the detention center and court house, and more! Download a flyer and application with waiver now, and contact Deputy Wright at 703.746.5017 for more information. Don’t delay – space is limited!

The Sheriff’s Office participated in the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria’s special Operation Storefront event on Wednesday, March 20. As part of Kick Butts Day, Alexandria teens visited stores across the City to document how tobacco and adult beverages are promoted through displays and ads. Deputy Valarie Wright, a SAPCA board member, escorted four T.C. Williams Students to ten stores in Old Town.

The Alexandria Health Department and Sheriff's Office recently took part in a joint exercise to dispense medicine to first responders in the event of a bioterrorism attack. The Health Department has been working closely with the Sheriff’s Office and other public safety agencies to develop plans that ensure public safety personnel receive proper medication in case of a biological attack so they are able to continue working.

On Thursday, March 21, Sheriff Dana Lawhorne and his staff hosted a special ceremony to honor the educational accomplishments of 14 inmates at the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center. Seven inmates, including one who has already been released, passed their GED examinations and seven others received their ServSafe© food safety certifications. Guest speaker Pastor Louis Whiting of My Father’s House Christian Ministries addressed the graduates, inmates and staff and shared his thoughts on faith and conflict.

Check out the latest edition of "Behind the Star," the quarterly newsletter for the Sheriff's Office. See how the Office is reaching out to the community and partnering with other public safety agencies to improve the quality of life in Alexandria, and find out about achievements by Sheriff's Office employees, special efforts for youth and seniors, and what's new at the Detention Center.

Get connected with the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office through social media! The Sheriff’s Office is now on Facebook and Twitter, so “like” and “follow” us for the latest information about community outreach, staff achievements, detention center news, employment opportunities and more.

The Detention Center Bureau is the largest of the Sheriff’s Office's four organizational bureaus. Under the command of Chief Deputy Clarke Stearns, the Bureau is responsible for managing the Alexandria Detention Center's security function and is comprised of the Security Division. The Security Division supervises Security Teams, Special Management Sergeant, and Visitors Center operations, among other responsibilities.

The Judicial and Special Operations Bureau, under the command of Chief Deputy Timothy Gleeson, is the arm of the Sheriff’s Office most visible to the general public, with of its work performed in the streets and neighborhoods of Alexandria, or under the watchful eye of citizens who frequent the Alexandria Courthouse. The Bureau encompasses the Judicial Operations and Special Operations Sections, which are responsible for functions that serve the courts and perform security, warrant service and other special operations functions in the communities of Alexandria.

The Administrative Services Bureau, under the director of Undersheriff Tony Davis, is responsible for developing and managing the agency’s annual budget, hiring and training all Sheriff's Office employees, providing administrative support and for managing the Office's financial affairs.  The Bureau also provides for policy development and technology to support the Office's operations.

Inmate/Support Services is responsible for several important tasks that help facilitate the security and safety of the Detention Center through the intake/classification, case management inmate programming  and facility maintenance.

Volunteers are an essential part of the work of the Sheriff’s Office. Many rehabilitative programs offered to inmates are conceived of or delivered by volunteers, and our volunteers are at the heart of Detention Center programming. Regardless of your skills, your interest in being a volunteer with the Sheriff’s Office is much appreciated so please explore the opportunities and procedures to joining our team and making a difference in our community!