The Special Operations Division encompasses varying duties, including criminal investigations, K9, traffic, criminal enforcement, public event safety, victim services, and community resources. Within the division, highly trained and specialized officers are utilized in many different ways to provide the public with professional and courteous police service.
Contact:
Captain Evan Keirce
Evan.Keirce@Harrisonburgva.gov
540-437-2674
HPD K9 Team
The Harrisonburg Police Department's (HPD) K-9 Team is comprised of three officers and one sergeant, all of whom are full-time handlers. The officers are assigned to the Patrol
Division for rapid response and support of daily duties.
Each member of the unit has been partnered with either a Belgian Malinois or German Shepherd, and they train weekly to hone their skills and develop strong relationships.
The dogs are trained in patrol utility work or scent detection work and must be commanded in their native language of either Dutch, Czechoslovakian or German.
Patrol utility work includes tracking, article searches, building searches, and apprehensions, while scent detection work includes narcotic and explosive detection. HPD's dogs live with the handler, and after a long career of service, they can retire at the officer's residence.
HPD is proud to have one facility dog, Hudson. Hudson is trained to provide comfort in distressing situations, support victims of crime and witnesses during the judicial process, and provide peer support to officers as they face stressors in and out of uniform.
Auxiliary Police
The Harrisonburg Auxiliary Police Unit is a citizen volunteer team that supports operations within the Police Department. Members gain the satisfaction of being involved citizens in the public safety of the Harrisonburg Community.
The Auxiliary Program is made up of Sworn Patrol Officers and Administrative Personnel.
The Sworn Auxiliary Officers train and satisfy criteria for the state DCJS requirements, including the state's required firearms proficiency requirements. These certified Auxiliary Patrol Officers may serve alongside full-time police officers during patrol and other law enforcement/public safety functions. Auxiliary officers and Administrative personnel also provide project support and specialized skill sets directly to the Chief of Police.
Traffic and Accident Reconstruction
HPD's Traffic Unit is comprised of one Sergeant and three officers. The primary responsibility of the Traffic Unit is to promote highway safety through education, prevention, and the enforcement of traffic laws.
The Traffic Unit has a full time motor carrier inspection vehicle as well as a self contained radar trailer and speed board to help with their efforts. The Accident Reconstruction Team is responsible for investigating serious injury and fatal crashes. The Harrisonburg Police Traffic Unit works closely with the Virginia State Police in the regulation of commercial vehicle operations and the enforcement of commercial vehicle violations within the city limits.
HPD continues to support the work of the City's Transportation Safety and Advisory Commission's Bicycle and Pedestrian Subcommittee to facilitate a safe coexistence amongst all modes of traffic in the City. HPD also works with the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and uses grant funding to help enforce safe driving, walking and biking on city streets.
Towing information can be found here: City Tow Company List
Animal Care and Control
The City of Harrisonburg Animal Care and Control Unit is responsible for enforcing the Virginia Comprehensive Animal Laws, as well as the local ordinances relating to domestic animals. It identifies public safety issues and works directly with the community on animal and pet care issues. The Animal Control Officer acts as a liaison to and with the Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA. The Animal Care and Control office handles approximately 800 calls for service, 1000 requests for information and impounds approximately 500 domestic animals annually.
View City Code on Animal Control Section 15-2-1 through 15-2-24.
Tethering Ordinance: Tethering Brochure [423KB]
For immediate animal concerns in the City of Harrisonburg, please call:
Phone: 540-434-4436
Email: hacc@harrisonburgva.gov
For animal control concerns in Rockingham County (including Bridgewater, Broadway, Dayton, Elkton, Grottoes, and Timberville) please call:
Phone: 540-564-3171 or 540-564-3800
For animal control concerns on the campus of James Madison University, please call 540-568-6913.
Harrisonburg Animal Care and Control works with the Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA.
Visit www.rhspca.org for more information about the SPCA.
Community Resource Unit
The Community Resource Unit (CRU) is assigned to the Special Operations Division of the Harrisonburg Police Department. CRU is a collaborative effort of crime prevention, education and community engagement to foster a positive working relationship between the Police Department and the citizens that we serve. The CRU is currently comprised of a Sergeant, a Community Resource Officer, a DARE Officer, and School Resource Officers. The Community Resource Officer acts as a liaison between the community and the Harrisonburg Police Department. Responsibilities of focus include issues of community safety and business security. The emphasis of this position will be to expand on the knowledge, communication, and overall safety of the community.
The D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) officer represents a collaborative effort between elementary schools and law enforcement with the primary goal of enhancing socio-emotional skills and developing positive decision-making efforts that lead to safe and responsible lives for students.
The CRU also works closely with the citizens and businesses in the community by sponsoring events such as the Explorer Program, Community Police Academy, and the Community Advisory Committee. Also included under the unit are special programs such as National Night Out, which promote a positive image of the Harrisonburg Police Department and create a safer and more secure community and working environment.
Email Community Resource Unit at HPDCommunityResourceUnit@harrisonburgva.gov
School Resource Officers
The officers who work in Harrisonburg City Public Schools provide a vital service to the future of the youth in the area. The strong working relationship between the police and the school administrators provides a safe environment for students to learn while allowing the officer to build relationships and provide a sense of safety to students. Harrisonburg High School, Rocktown High School, Thomas Harrison Middle School, and Skyline Middle School all have full-time School Resource Officers.
Selective Enforcement Team (SET)
The Selective Enforcement Team (SET) is a group of officers that specialize in problem solving and reacting to specific areas of concern in the City. Officers utilize various forms of approach including bicycles, foot patrol, undercover vehicles and high visibility action depending on the circumstances.