News Releases

The Virginia State Police Motor Vehicle Inspection Program has experienced a recent increase in requests for replacement state inspection stickers and is reminding the public of the proper procedures surrounding inspection sticker removal and replacement during windshield service.

Virginia State Police are reminding drivers and pedestrians of the rules of the road after 10 people died in eight crashes along Virginia roadways over the Labor Day holiday.  Three of those killed were pedestrians (one in Emporia, one in Fairfax along Interstate 395, and one in Alexandria along Interstate 395).

Four Virginia State Police troopers were among 26 law enforcement officers receiving 2026 Awards for Valor from the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police. The awards ceremony took place Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2026, at the Hotel Roanoke in Roanoke, Va.

Virginia State Police troopers will be on the roads in numbers over the Labor Day holiday this weekend, using their presence to stress safety. While traffic fatalities are down this year, during Independence Day holiday, there were 18 fatalities in the Commonwealth.* Virginia State Police will be increasing visibility and staffing over Labor Day weekend, especially on Sept. 4 and Sept. 7 in order to keep the roads safe. Those two days are expected to be the busiest days of travel.

Virginia’s official comprehensive report on local and statewide crime figures for 2025, titled Crime in Virginia, is now available online at the Virginia State Police website on the Data Analysis & Reporting Team page.  Crime in Virginia continues to provide precise rates and occurrences of crimes committed in towns, cities, and counties across the Commonwealth.

Preliminary data shows that 15 people lost their lives in 14 crashes over the four-day Independence Day holiday counting period (July 2-July 5).  The crashes occurred in the counties of Alleghany, Appomattox, Brunswick, Fauquier, Frederick (2), Nottaway, Pulaski, Roanoke, Shenandoah, Smyth, Spotsylvania, and Suffolk, and the City of Danville.  One head-on crash in Smyth County on July 3rd killed two people, and on July 5th in Frederick County a motorcyclist a trooper attempted to stop for reckless driving by speed died in a crash on Interstate 81 after refusing to stop for the trooper.

This year is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and that anniversary on July 4th also falls on a Saturday.  As a result, traffic is expected to be heavy as people travel to celebrations, fireworks, or just to vacations.  AAA Mid-Atlantic is forecasting over two million Virginians will be travelling more than 50 miles from home this year, with the largest percentage using our interstates and primary highways.   As of June 30, 2026, preliminary statistics show there have been 307 fatalities on Virginia roadways.

Nearly 38 years after 20-year-old Tammy Thorpe was found shot to death on a gravel lane just outside the town limits of Warrenton, law enforcement remains steadfast in seeking information that will lead to the identity of the person or persons responsible for her murder.

From May 13, 2026, through May 19, 2026, the Virginia State Police, in partnership with supporting federal and local agencies, achieved significant criminal interdictions. Their ongoing efforts led to the seizure of narcotics and the investigation of multiple crimes throughout the Commonwealth.  

Virginia State Police is reminding all drivers, young and old, to drive safe, smart, and sober as we head into the Memorial Day weekend and summer. Last year, in 2025, there were nine fatalities on Virginia roadways during the four-day statistical counting period for the Memorial Day holiday.

Multiple members of the Virginia State Police (VSP) family attended the funeral of Robert “Rock” Howard, 102, of Highland Springs, Va., on Tuesday.   Howard was VSP’s longest living trooper, having served for 33 years in Richmond and Fredericksburg from 1951 until his retirement in 1984. He passed away on May 5, 2026.

From April 29, 2026, through May 5, 2026, the Virginia State Police, in partnership with supporting federal and local agencies, achieved significant criminal interdictions. Their ongoing efforts led to the seizure of narcotics and the investigation of multiple crimes throughout the Commonwealth.

With motorcycle crash fatalities in 2026 just slightly behind the pace of 2024 and 2025, Virginia State Police is encouraging all drivers (on bikes or not) to be more careful on the roads.  May is Motorcycle Awareness Month, and warmer weather is likely to lead to more motorcycle use.

On Monday, May 11, 2026, the Virginia State Police (VSP) will receive a piece of steel recovered from Ground Zero at the World Trade Center (New York City), a historic artifact being presented by the Freedom Flag Foundation. The steel will become a permanent fixture at the Virginia State Police Academy.

The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Fairfax Field Office has closed a 52-year-old homicide investigation.  Shirley L. Washington, 33, of Washington, D.C. was found murdered in Conway Robinson State Forest outside Gainesville, Va., on December 8, 1973. 

From April 15, 2026, through April 21, 2026, the Virginia State Police, in partnership with supporting federal and local agencies, achieved significant criminal interdictions. Their ongoing efforts led to the seizure of narcotics and the investigation of multiple crimes throughout the Commonwealth.

The Virginia State Police (VSP) continue to search for a former Wise County football coach who is facing 10 warrants and disappeared nearly four months ago.

A significant winter weather event is scheduled to impact most of the Commonwealth this weekend. Now is the time to prepare. Please visit vaemergency.gov for tips.

On Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, the commonwealth will graduate its 144th generation of Virginia State Troopers. The 94 new troopers will be presented with their diplomas during commencement exercises at 10 a.m. at the State Police Training Academy located at 7700 Midlothian Turnpike in North Chesterfield County. This is the largest graduating class of trooper-trainees since 2018.

A significant winter storm is expected to impact the entire Commonwealth this weekend. The storm starts as snow for everyone, arriving in the western part of the state Saturday afternoon, progressing eastward into later Saturday evening. It is expected to last through Monday morning.

After 32 years of service in law enforcement, Colonel Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, has issued the following statement, regarding his retirement: “It has been an honor to serve this great Commonwealth as a longstanding member of the Virginia State Police. I am proud of the incredible work the agency has accomplished and am grateful for the commitment that our sworn and professional staff provide daily.  Virginia is in a better place today because of their dedication and I will greatly miss serving alongside them.”

A Virginia State Trooper, along with numerous unidentified Good Samaritans, helped rescue a 34-year-old Maryland man from a burning Tesla on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025.

Preliminary data indicates that six people died on Virginia’s roadway over the 2025 Thanksgiving holiday.  The number is two fewer than in 2024, when eight people died in fatal crashes.*  As of Dec. 1, 2025, preliminary data shows there have been 671 fatalities on Virginia roadways this year, compared to 788 in 2024.

Virginia State Police is offering guidance and recommendations to curb aggressive driving along Virginia’s roadways. Aggressive driving is always a concern for Virginia State Police. In recent weeks, shootings have occurred along multiple interstates that have prompted public concern.

From October 1-7, 2025, the Virginia State Police, in partnership with supporting federal and local agencies, achieved significant criminal interdictions. Their ongoing efforts led to the recovery of firearms, the seizure of narcotics, the seizure of U.S. currency, and the investigation of multiple crimes throughout the Commonwealth.