The Police Department offers its officers many opportunities to serve in specialized units that enhance basic police and criminal investigation operations. These units are open to all sworn personnel by application, after a minimum of two years' employment with the Department.

In addition, one of the specialized units below is open to interested members of the public upon successful completion of the application and training process.

The specialized units are listed below.  

Bicycle Unit

It is the mission of the Bicycle Unit to work with Prince William County residents to jointly resolve community problems that affect their quality of life, by proactively patrolling the communities we serve and enforcing all laws through a zero-tolerance approach.

The Unit's goals include:

  • Proactive enforcement of offenses that are directly related to a resident's quality of life, in an effort to improve it.
  • A reduction of the number of gang-related incidents within the areas they patrol.
  • An increase in public trust through improved communication with the community.
  • Continuing a high standard of training, proficient in bike handling, firearm and defensive tactics skills.

Civil Disturbance Team

The Civil Disturbance Team is trained in active countermeasures to control and disperse both hostile and passive crowds. The Team is deployed during planned demonstrations and at large sports and entertainment venues in the County, as needed. The Team also responds to aid requests from other law-enforcement agencies in the region.

Command Post Team

The Command Post Team responds to all major incidents where personnel are used for an extended period of time. The Mobile Command Post provides communications ability to interface with County police, fire & rescue, and public works personnel as well as with emergency responders from jurisdictions throughout the region and state.

Crash Investigation Unit

The Crash Investigation Unit is responsible for:

  • fatal crash investigations
  • hit-and-run investigations
  • crashes where there is serious personal injury
  • inspections of commercial trucks
  • crash-scene reconstruction
  • crime-scene reconstruction.

Crime Prevention Unit

The Crime Prevention Unit offers a variety of crime prevention training programs -- in addition to its Watch programs -- for County residents, including:

  • Home Security Surveys: This service can be provided for any County resident free of charge. A police officer will come to your home and point out ways to increase the security of your home. This program includes an array of hardware to give participants a "hands-on" experience in crime prevention. The Unit also conducts security surveys for homeowners and renters using the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.  View the CPTED Strategies (PDF file).
  • Rape Prevention and Personal Safety Programs: These programs are available for church groups, resident organizations, and businesses. Each program generally lasts one hour and covers everything from purse snatching and automobile breakdowns to dealing with a burglar in your home.
  • Business Services: The Unit provides training in the prevention of shoplifting, armed robbery and white-collar crime, including bad checks and credit-card fraud. The Unit also conducts security surveys for businesses using the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles.  View the CPTED Strategies (PDF file). In addition, the Unit offers construction site security surveys to prevent theft from construction sites, and a Certified Crime Prevention Business program.

Forensic Services Section

The Forensic Services Section operates from an accredited, specialized facility and is composed of three units: Crime Scene Unit, Imaging Unit and Fingerprint Unit.

The responsibilities of the Crime Scene Unit include:

  • 24-hour availability to respond to major crime scenes,
  • Detailed crime-scene documentation through the use of video, photographs, notes and sketches,
  • Evidence identification, documentation, collection and preservation,
  • Court testimony and presentation of evidence, photographs, sketches and visual aids in court proceedings,
  • The use of various chemical and physical processes to develop fingerprints on items of evidentiary value,
  • Obtaining still photographs from surveillance videos,
  • The deployment of specialized equipment and scientific methods when called upon by unique investigative needs, and
  • Providing training to Department members and citizen groups.

The responsibilities of the Imaging Unit include:

  • Management of sophisticated photo processing equipment,
  • Film processing and negative archive,
  • Processing all Department-wide requests for photographs,
  • Providing training of Department personnel in basic and advanced photo techniques.
  • The enlargement of photographs for use in court proceedings, and
  • Portraits of Department members.

The responsibilities of the Fingerprint Unit include:

  • Processing arrest records generated by Department members,
  • Scanning and inputting inked fingerprint cards into the statewide fingerprint system, NOVARIS / AFIS,
  • Evaluating latent fingerprints collected from crime scenes,
  • Performing comparisons between questioned and known fingerprints,
  • Providing training to Criminal Justice Academy recruits on the history of fingerprint identification, latent processing techniques, and how to properly collect inked fingerprints, and
  • Court testimony and preparation of fingerprint charts for use in court proceedings.

Honor Guard Unit

The Honor Guard Unit provides official Department representation at funerals, dedications and other special events, and at the Police Recruit graduations, among other duties.

K-9 Unit

The K-9 Unit is responsible for:

  • tracking
  • recovering evidence
  • building searches
  • locating suspects
  • crowd control
  • drug detection
  • canine demonstrations

Marine Unit

The Marine Unit was established in response to the unusual challenges and demands of a large and diverse boating community. The Marine Patrol Unit's resources and capabilities are committed to promoting boating safety, enforcing maritime laws, providing assistance in emergency and distress situations, ensuring security on the waterways, and maintaining a safe boating environment.

Prince William County is located 30 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., along the Interstate 95 corridor. The County has more than 22 miles of shoreline on the Occoquan and Potomac rivers, stretching from the Town of Occoquan to Stafford County. Thousands of boats visit Prince William County's waterways, waterfront restaurants and parks on a regular basis.

Eight officers are allocated on a part-time basis to the Marine Patrol Unit; they work this assignment in addition to their dedicated ones. The Unit maintains a 34-foot AMH Pilothouse vessel, which is docked on the Occoquan River. Its main patrol areas are the Occoquan and Potomac rivers, but the Unit routinely patrols other inland waterways and lakes.

Marine Unit officers respond to all waterborne emergencies within the County and, when called for, mutual aid outside the County. The following are a few examples of Marine Patrol Unit services:

  • law enforcement on the waterways in the County,
  • protecting critical infrastructure from terrorist attack,
  • drug and contraband interdiction,
  • search and rescue for missing boaters and individuals,
  • emergency medical response,
  • assist stranded boaters,
  • provide a dive platform for police and fire incidents,
  • respond to environmental hazards,
  • assist state game wardens,
  • assist the U.S. Coast Guard,
  • boating-while-intoxicated checkpoints,
  • identify and/or remove navigational hazards.

Most people think of summer as being the boating season but fishermen in Northern Virginia also frequent the waters of Prince William County from October through March during striped bass season. This contributes to an all-year boating season with a 24-hour-a-day response capability from the Unit. Members of the Unit serve and attend meetings of the Potomac River Rescue Association.

The Marine Unit should be notified of any water-related incidents. We also ask for any information involving unusual activities in waterfront areas, including suspicious persons or boats, and all violations on the waterways. You can reach the Prince William County Police Marine Patrol by the following methods:

  • Marine VHF radios - The Marine Patrol monitors Marine VHF Channel 16. To reach the officers directly, hail the Prince William County Police.
  • Call 703-792-6500 for non-emergency incidents on a 24-hour basis, or 911 in an emergency.
  • Contact the Marine Unit Supervisor: Senior Lieutenant W.M. Cox at 703-792-4951 (this number is not monitored on a 24-hour basis and so should be used for non-emergency communications Monday through Friday during business hours ).

Mounted Patrol Unit

The Mounted Patrol Unit provides specialized services in the areas of search and rescue, crime prevention and crowd control. The Unit was formed with the goal of bringing residents and police together to ensure the continued safety of the community. Seizure funds taken from the assets of drug dealers enabled the Unit to purchase equipment including uniforms, horse blankets, and a horse trailer.

The Department entered into a unique agreement with the Manassas National Battlefield Park that allows the Mounted Patrol officers to use the Manassas National Battlefield Park horses and equipment on an as-needed basis. The horses are stabled at the Manassas National Battlefield Park and remain the property of the U.S. Park Service.

The Unit is used for initiatives including crime prevention, directed patrol, public relations, ceremonies, and search-and-rescue missions. Members also patrol major shopping centers, commuter parking lots, events at live entertainment venues, the County Fair and various local parades.

Riders are:

  • First Sergeant Susan Crosbie, whose favorite horse to ride is Will.
  • First Sergeant Kim Chinn, whose favorite horse to ride is Shiraz.
  • Sergeant Ashley Gwinn-Sheldon, whose favorite horse to ride is Dudley.
  • Master Detective Sandy Conlon, whose favorite horse to ride is Ginny.
  • Officer Jeremy Ramos, whose favorite horses to ride are Bogey and Sky.

Police Auxiliary Unit

The Police Auxiliary Unit consists of volunteers who assist sworn officers in the performance of their daily duties and at special events.

The Unit is comprised of uniformed volunteers who perform duties such as traffic control, assisting at crime scenes and special events (parades and fairs, for example), fingerprinting, and coordinating Neighborhood Watch groups. Police Auxiliaries also assist officers on the street and at police facilities with non-enforcement and non-arrest support functions as determined by the Department.

QUALIFICATIONS - This is a competitive application process:

  • Must be a citizen of the United States,
  • Must be at least 18 years of age,
  • Must be of good character beyond reproach,
  • Must possess a valid driver's license,
  • Must work or reside in Prince William County,
  • Must contribute a minimum of 24 hours of service per month to maintain auxiliary status,
  • May not be a member of the Prince William County Police Department.

Additionally, Police Auxiliary candidates must submit to polygraph and psychological testing. Auxiliaries receive a minimum of 275 hours of basic training.

For an application, please call 703-792-6580, or print out a Police Volunteer Application.

For more information on the Police Auxiliary, please call the Department's Personnel Office at 703-792-6580.

SCUBA Unit

The SCUBA Unit is activated to recover drowning victims, and to search for and recover evidence in criminal investigations.

SWAT Unit

The Special Weapons and Tactics Unit (S.W.A.T) supports the Operations and Criminal Investigations divisions of the Department.

The Unit is used to:

  • resolve high-risk situations with a minimum loss of life, injury or property damage,
  • resolve situations involving barricaded subjects,
  • rescue hostages,
  • stabilize situations involving high-risk suicidal subjects,
  • provide assistance on drug raids, arrest warrants and search warrants,
  • provide additional security at special events,
  • provide executive protection.

Traffic Unit (Motors)

The Traffic Unit, familiarly known as "Motors" (motorcycle) is responsible for speed enforcement, the Roadway Incident Management Program (R.I.M.P.), the Speed Watch program, the S.M.A.R.T. trailer deployment, and other special enforcement initiatives such as traffic complaints and traffic-safety campaigns.

Members of this Unit supply traffic direction at crash scenes and traffic-light malfunctions. They also work parades and other special events, and provide escorts as needed.