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APD: Specialized Units

Page updated on December 11, 2023 at 8:58 AM

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Traffic Safety Section

The mission of the Traffic Safety Section is to help ensure and promote the safe travel of all community members throughout the City.  The Traffic Safety Section (TSS) is comprised of officers whose primary focus is traffic enforcement, education, crash investigation, escorts, and responding to major traffic emergencies.  This section is also responsible for the implementation of the Traffic Safety Plan; which is the guiding document for the City of Alexandria's Vision Zero Action Plan. 

Traffic Safety

Criminal Investigation Division

The mission of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) is to investigate and resolve complex criminal incidents through professional partnerships, technology, and well-trained staff. The Criminal Investigation Section’s primary responsibility is to conduct the follow-up investigations of crimes that occur within the City, including homicides, felony sex offenses, commercial robberies,  financial crimes, computer crimes, domestic violence, stalking, child welfare, other serious investigations requiring intensive specialized or confidential investigation.

Criminal Investigations

Resiliency and Peer Support Team

The Resiliency and Peer Support Team (RPST) consists of a group of trained Department members who provides anonymous and confidential peer support to fellow employees who may be experiencing psychological discomfort as a result of their involvement in a critical incident and/or any personal or job-related event outside the realm of their coping mechanism.

four hands each grabbing another's wrist to form a square signifying support

Canine Unit

The K-9 Unit is an integral part of Field Operations Bureau (FOB) and work side-by-side with Patrol Officers, Community Policing Officers and the Traffic Safety Section to provide services to the community 24/7 and 365 days a year. The ability of dogs to smell things that people cannot make them a valuable police tool and provide the ability to find suspects in hiding, track suspects who have fled on foot, and recover evidence. They are also used to find hidden narcotics and explosives.

Canine Unit

Hostage Negotiation Team

The Hostage Negotiations Team (HNT) is  staffed by personnel from other organizational entities. Membership is determined through a competitive vetting process. When deployed, HNT’s mission is to establish and maintain communication with person(s) involved in a hostage/barricade situation with the goal of bringing the situation to a peaceful conclusion.

Police and Fire on the scene, with crime scene tape cordoning off an area in the center of the photo

School Resource Unit

The Alexandria Police Department is committed to the safety and well being of all city school children. In 1997 the School Resource Unit (SRU) was created and supported by a strong partnership in conjunction with the Alexandria City Public School (ACPS), City Manger's Office, City Council and the Alexandria Police Department.

A Police SUV in front of a parking garage with the sign "HOME OF THE" indicating that it is a school

Special Operations Team

The mission of the Special Operations Team (SOT) is to provide highly trained tactical response to peacefully resolve critical incidents and safely secure people, vehicles, and locations for the service of search and arrest warrants.  The SOT is comprised of personnel from throughout the Police Department who are committed to training and critical incident preparation.  SOT works in conjunction with HNT and TSU to accomplish its objectives.

Six men in combat gear and holding weapons pose in front of a military vehicle.

Community Oriented Policing Unit

Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime. The Community Oriented Policing Section (COPS) assigns sworn police officers to specific neighborhoods. The COPS Officers actively build positive relationships with the residents of their neighborhood.

A group of children  cheering

Crime Scene Investigations Unit

The Crime Scene Investigator supports patrol officers, detectives and other law enforcement investigative teams by documenting and processing evidence. Their efforts include documenting crime scenes, as well as collecting, preserving and processing evidence.

A van with an awning extended and the words "City of Alexandria Police Crime Scene Investigations Section" on the side

Vice & Narcotics Section

The Vice & Narcotics Section is responsible for conducting investigations designed to target and deter middle and upper-level drug and vice operations within the City. Several members have cross-jurisdictional authority to combat drug and vice operations at a federal level. Drug operations consist of covert surveillance, Intelligence gathering, use of informants, and the preparation and execution of search warrants. Prescription fraud investigations are also conducted by this Unit.

A folded t-shirt on a carpeted floor that reads "Alexandria Police Vice Narcotics". Surrounding the t-shirt are bags of what appear to be seized drugs.

Electronic Investigations Unit

The Electronic Investigations Unit focuses on the collection and analysis of digital evidence to assist police officers and detectives within the department.

A cell phone screen with illuminated symbols for the internet, messaging, and uploading

Special Investigations Unit

The Special Investigations Unit is a 21st Century model of policing that is designed to focus on the apprehension of violent criminals and fugitives through investigative tactics, to include covert surveillance.  The investigators write and conduct search warrants, provide tactical support to other investigative units and perform other duties when assigned.

A man with his hands behind his back is led away by an officer

Honor Guard

The Honor Guard Unit is made up of a select group of officers within the department who represent the agency at special events, in addition to performing at drill and ceremonial duties.

Members of the honor guard parade past the American flag

Bike Patrol

Bike Patrol helps us quickly respond to law enforcement and emergency medical needs. An officer on a bike is able to navigate through congested and crowded areas more easily than a car and faster than an officer on foot. Officers can arrive more quickly and secure the scene.

Two officers on bike patrol in Old Town

Technical Support Unit

The Alexandria Police Technical Services Unit is a support unit for the Special Operations Team.  In the Technical Services Unit, we utilize different robots for search and surveillance operations during hostage/barricade situations or high-risk warrants. We also have several different camera systems we can use to assist with the search of a location for any victims or suspects in hiding.

A wheeled robot with a camera on an extendable arm in front of a police cruiser

Police Academy Instructor

Instructors assigned to the Police Academy teach, instruct, and coach newly hired officers in basic police training, to include search and siezure laws, defensive tactics, firearms, emergency vehicle operations, and much more.

A red brick building with NVCJ ACADEMY on the front, partially blocked by a flagpole waving the American flag

Tactical Training and Response Unit

The Tactical Training & Response Unit (TTRU) is responsible for providing training to all sworn officers in police tactics and survival skills. TTRU is responsible for managing the Department’s Taser program and Defensive Tactics Team. Members serve as a rapid response force in support of Vice/Narcotics missions, Criminal Apprehension Unit, and other short/no-notice tactical assignments as needed.

Two men face each other on a red padded mat in a room outfitted with equipment designed for physical training

Range Instructor

The Alexandria Police Department owns its own shooting range. With the use of highly qualified range staff, we equip our officers with firearms that will help protect the community and the officers. Our range instructors provide instruction on the the appropriate handling and use of firearms to protect the safety of officers in the wearing, handling, maintenance and cleaning of firearms. They also train on deadly force, escalation/de-escalation, decision making and modern police tactics.

A man in the foreground, wearing eye and ear protection, aims a handgun
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