The Special Investigations & Programs Division (SIPD) was established in 2018 and is comprised of the following sections:
Counter-Terrorism / Criminal Interdiction (CCI)
The Counter-Terrorism and Criminal Interdiction Section (CCI) 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 Counter-Terrorism and Criminal Interdiction 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.
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.
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 agents assigned to this mission facilitate coordination and cooperation among member agencies. Six special agents are assigned to Illegal Drug Eradication.
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 33 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.
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
Find out more at heatreward.com.
Insurance Fraud Program
Find out more at stampoutfraud.com.
Drug Diversion
Find out more at Drug Diversion Section (DDS).