Special Investigations & Programs Division (SIPD)

The Special Investigations & Programs Division (SIPD) was established in 2018 and is comprised of the following sections:

Interstate Criminal Enforcement (ICE)

The Interstate Criminal Enforcement (ICE) Section is responsible for interdicting all threats of criminal activity occurring in the Commonwealth of Virginia, providing assistance to localities in combating crime in drug-prone areas, providing a coordinated response to terrorism incidents, and assisting other law enforcement agencies with the resolution of gang-related crimes and gang-related violence. 

Primary activities of the Interstate Criminal Enforcement Section include:

  • Serving as members of arrest teams during special assignments.
  • Criminal interdiction surveillance of public transportation systems, including airports and ports.
  • Conducting operations at special events related to the detection of illicit chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear material/sources.
  • High profile patrol efforts.
  • Homeland security initiatives and responsibilities relating to prevention, mitigation, and recovery operations.
  • Narcotic canine sweep operations of mailing facilities, parcel distribution companies, and schools.
  • Patrolling roadways for situations requiring criminal interdiction.
  • Promotion of highway safety.
  • Providing assistance to local law enforcement agencies through city/state partnerships in combating illegal activity in high-crime areas and/or criminal gang activities.
  • Undercover assistance to other State Police Divisions and localities.  

Mass Transit Unit (MTU)

The Mass Transit Unit (MTU) participates in mass transit interdiction operations with specific emphasis focused on reducing the flow of illegal narcotics into the communities of Virginia.   MTU members are specifically trained to conduct advanced criminal interdiction at parcel distribution centers, airports, and other mass transit centers involving drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises. MTU members have also engaged in reduction of criminal acts in the Bold Blue Line Initiative across the Commonwealth.  

Drug Diversion

The Drug Diversion Unit (DDU) administers and maintains the Department’s Prescription Monitoring Program, Case Explorer, Gang Intelligence System Training, and National Precursor Law Enforcement Exchange (NPLEx).  The program also provided drug diversion analytics, Gang Intelligence System and Case Explorer training services.  Find out more at Drug Diversion Section (DDS).

Asset Forfeiture

The forfeiture of seized assets is governed under Code of Virginia Section 19.2, Chapter 22.1 and various state and federal statutes.  Proceeds derived from the sale of forfeited assets are placed in the Drug Investigation Special Trust Account and the Asset Forfeiture Account and drawn from as the need arises.  This section also assists local and other state agencies by providing investigative support and technical training.

Counter-Terrorism / HAZMAT Response Program

The Special Investigations and Programs Division is tasked with all counter-terrorism incidents and HAZMAT Responses throughout the state as primary or secondary hazardous material evidence collection, radiation detection and monitoring, and special event assignments. The program mission is accomplished by members of the Mass Transit Unit with assistance from Virginia Department of Emergency Management – Regional Hazmat Officers, the National Guard 34th Civil Support Team, and Regional FBI-WMD Special Agents.

Illegal Marijuana Eradication

Changes in Virginia’s law will legalize the growing, possession, and personal use of a limited amount of marijuana.  However, exceeding the parameters of the law will continue to be illegal.  This section focuses only on the illegal production and distribution of marijuana.    

The Department of State Police remains committed to enforcing the controlled substance laws within the Commonwealth. Our mission is to keep the Commonwealth safe by combating the flow of illegal drugs.  We aim to disrupt and dismantle organized criminal operations fostering this illegal enterprise. With DEA funding, the Department of State Police comes together with state and local law enforcement agencies and the Virginia Army National Guard to operate year-round eradication initiatives to eliminate illegal drug operations.

The four facets of Illegal Marijuana Eradication are:

  • Developing intelligence to detect, investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate drug trafficking and related organized crime cases;
  • Identifying and reducing the supply of illegal drugs entering and circulating within the Commonwealth by interdicting drug shipments via land, air, and waterway;
  • Seizing assets derived from and intended to be used for illicit drug trafficking by forfeiture to disrupt and dismantle the organized criminal operation;
  • Fostering local resources for county and city law enforcement agencies by promoting good practices, information exchange, and networking.

Multi-Jurisdictional Task Forces

The Department of State Police participates in multi-jurisdictional task forces across the Commonwealth. These task forces consist of state and local investigators pooling resources and personnel to combat organized crime. They investigate crimes originating in and between participating jurisdictions and throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia involving gang violence, illegal drug activity, child exploitation, human trafficking, and other illegal activity.

Human Trafficking Unit (HTU)

The Human Trafficking Unit (HTU) was created to investigate crimes involving human smuggling and sex trafficking. The unit is comprised of Department personnel in every field division, and the Virginia Capitol Area Human Trafficking Task Force (Richmond) and the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force (Chesapeake); co-lead by the Department and The Department of Homeland Security. HTU provides statewide training in conjunction with the Department of Criminal Justice Services and the Human Trafficking Institute to connect prosecutors and investigators as a team to learn what trafficking is and how to investigate and ultimately prosecute in an intensive format. 

“What do I do when I think I have identified Human Trafficking?”

#1 Make the scene safe, separate the parties (If applicable).
#2 Collect as much of the Who, What, When, Where, and Why. 
#3 Remember, if communicating with a victim of trafficking, they may be distrusting of authority figures such as police. Work to develop rapport. 
#4 Acknowledge there may be other criminal activity afoot. Address as appropriate.
#5 Contact your dispatch center who will follow their HTU job aid for contacting a HTU agent to assist you. 

Do you have a tip for HTU?

HTU Tip Portal

Gaming Enforcement Unit (GEU)

In 2023, the Gaming Enforcement Unit was established out of the Office of the Gaming Enforcement Coordinator. The purpose of this unit is to coordinate the Commonwealth’s gaming laws between the State Police, local law enforcement, state regulatory agencies, and local Commonwealth’s Attorneys. GEU works in partnership with the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), the Virginia Lottery and the Virginia Racing Commission. Each of these state agencies has regulatory oversight over six forms of legal gaming within the Commonwealth’s and refers allegations of criminal activity to the State Police for appropriate action.

Polygraph Quality Control

The Polygraph Quality Control Section provides oversight to the Virginia State Police polygraph program.  This team is responsible for reviewing all polygraph examinations conducted by the State Police to ensure accuracy.  The State Police polygraph program has been in existence since 1962 and meets the strict standards for compliance with the Polygraph Law Enforcement Accreditation (PLEA) program.  All examiners are graduates from American Polygraph Association (APA) accredited academies.

Help Eliminate Auto Theft (HEAT) Program

In response to an overwhelming number of auto thefts, the Virginia General Assembly enacted legislation in 1992 to create the Help Eliminate Automobile Theft (HEAT) Fund.  The HEAT program is a cooperative effort of the Virginia Department of State Police and local law enforcement agencies throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia.  The program is primarily tasked with supporting those agencies in their efforts to combat the theft of vehicles and parts; it is also intended to reward information about these types of crimes, offering up to $25,000 for tips that lead to an arrest. Find out more at heatreward.com.

Insurance Fraud Program

Since its inception in 1999, the Virginia State Police Insurance Fraud Unit (IFU) has been committed to its mission to reduce insurance fraud across the Commonwealth. Instances of insurance fraud continue to rise as the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud estimates annual losses nationwide at $308.6 billion, over $11 million of which occurred in Virginia in 2023. 

The Insurance Fraud Fund is utilized to provide training and support to 23 special agents who conduct insurance fraud investigations throughout the Commonwealth.  Additionally, IFU funding is essential to the Red Flag and VAISAU training seminars that are designed to increase awareness and cooperation among public and private entities as well as prosecutors.  To further the mission, the IFU has increased the funding to each of these programs to allow additional investigators to receive this valuable training.  On the national level, the program coordinator is active in both the National Fraud Directors’ group as well as the NICB Fraud Directors’ Working Committee. Find out more at stampoutfraud.com.