Law Enforcement
- Attorney General Awards $75,000 to 30 TRIAD Chapters Across the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Virginia Office of the Attorney General 202 North 9th Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-786-2071 FAX 804-786-1991 Virginia Relay Service 800-828-1120 For media inquiries only, contact: Rae Pickett RPickett@oag.
- Attorney General Jones Supports Litigation Challenging Unlawful Immigration Arrests
Commonwealth of Virginia Office of the Attorney General 202 North 9th Street Richmond, Virginia 23219 804-786-2071 FAX 804-786-1991 Virginia Relay Service 800-828-1120 For media inquiries only, contact: Rae Pickett RPickett@oag.
- DOJ report says 2021 school-board memo grew out of White House pressure, with Loudoun case at its center
A 273-page Justice Department report concludes former AG Merrick Garland's 2021 school-board memo grew out of White House pressure and internal objections, and it opens with a Loudoun County case.
- Congresswoman Kiggans Joins Discussions on Public Safety and Elections
Congresswoman Jen Kiggans of Virginia’s Second District took part in a discussion with FBI Director Kash Patel and Hampton Roads law enforcement officials focused on public safety topics.
- Virginia Senate Examines Limits on Police Drone Deployments
Lawmakers review legislation clarifying authorized uses of unmanned aircraft by law enforcement in emergencies and investigations.
- Body Camera Footage Captures Senator Louise Lucas Interaction During Portsmouth Monument Protest
On June 10, 2020, protesters assembled at a Confederate monument in Portsmouth, Virginia.
- Virginia State Senator Louise Lucas Charged in Federal Cannabis Case
Federal prosecutors in Virginia have charged State Senator Louise Lucas with racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, conspiracy to distribute marijuana, and other offenses in connection with an alleged cannabis business scheme.
- Virginia Voter FAQ: Curbside Voting, Drop Boxes and Your Protections at the Polls
Answers to common voter questions drawn from a state bulletin, including why curbside voting and drop boxes get the same protection from intimidation.
- Governor Spanberger Hosts 1,000 Law Enforcement & Community Leaders for Statewide Summit on Strengthening Emergency Preparedness
RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today hosted 1,000 law enforcement, public safety, and community leaders from across Virginia in
- Who Runs Your Election in Virginia? A Guide to Registrars, Boards and Clerks
Three local offices share the work of Virginia elections.
- From Locked Machines to Sealed Ballots: How Virginia Guards Election Materials
Virginia law requires voting equipment to stay in view, then be locked and sealed, with keys and data going to the circuit court clerk.
- Federal Observers and Monitors at Virginia Polls: Who Is Allowed and Who Decides
Congressional observers, court-ordered observers and Justice Department monitors are treated differently under the rules in a new state bulletin.
- Intimidated or Blocked at the Polls in Virginia? What the Law Says and Who to Call
Virginia law bars anyone from hindering, intimidating or interfering with a voter.
- 40 Feet, 100 Feet, 300 Feet: Virginia's Distance Rules Around Polling Places
Three distances shape what is allowed outside a Virginia polling place: loitering, firearms and loudspeakers.
- Loudoun Officials Detail Constitutional Limits on Student Searches by Schools and Officers
Ms. Scanlan outlines how 1980s case law and the Fourth Amendment tightly constrain search authority for Loudoun school officials and SROs.
- Who Can Be Inside Your Virginia Polling Place on Nov. 3, and Who Can't
Virginia law strictly limits who may be inside a polling place.
- James City Delegate Advances Parking Enforcement Expansion Bill
A James City delegate moves companion legislation to update and extend permissive parking enforcement authority to every Virginia locality.
- Virginia House Reviews Senate Substitute on Parkway Traffic Powers
Delegates weigh a Senate substitute for HB 77 that would let state and local officers enforce federal rules and authorize speed cameras on the George Washington Parkway.
- Federal Judge Effectively Blocks New State Law Limiting Virginia's Cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Virginia from enforcing most provisions of a new law restricting cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, allowing existing partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement to continue while the legal challenge plays out.
- Inside Virginia’s city halls, concerns, confusion rise with Flock surveillance protests
A Williamsburg resident in March asked the police department at the College of William & Mary how data collected by the school’s Flock Safety surveillance system is shared.
- Virginia Lawmakers Advance House Bill 702 on Local Firearm Buyback Programs
House Bill 702 directs Virginia local law enforcement to establish firearm buyback programs following Senate changes in the 2026 session.
- Delegate Shin Advances HB 1238 to Strengthen Local Pet Shop Oversight
Virginia lawmaker introduces permissive legislation enabling localities to enact ordinances addressing pet shop animal mistreatment and enforcement gaps.
- Virginia House Adopts Senate Changes to Bill on Firearms and Domestic Abuse Convictions
Lawmakers advance House Bill 93 with an amendment raising the standard for firearm surrender by convicted domestic abusers to probable cause.
- Virginia Lawmakers Consider Expanded Privacy Shields for Hate Crime Victims
Delegate Simon advances House Bill 459 to limit public disclosure of hate crime victim identities under existing Virginia privacy frameworks.
- Democrat CA Called Laken Riley Act a “Heinous Bill,” Said Murder Had Nothing to Do With Immigration
House Judiciary report: Parisa Dehghani-Tafti stood by calling the bipartisan Laken Riley Act “heinous” and said Laken’s murder was unrelated to immigration — while the killer was an illegal alien released in sanctuary jurisdictions.
- Virginia has a new law that regulates the use of license plate readers
The General Assembly has decided to take action to curb the use of automatic license plate readers by law enforcement.
- Data Center Fight Moves Into Greater Richmond as 17 Campuses Advance Across Eight Counties
Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, and Dinwiddie hearings fill with water, power, and tax-base arguments while Spanberger’s September directives and moratorium petitions set the statewide backdrop.
- Trump administration moves to steer homelessness grants toward treatment and enforcement
A campsite is seen in Anchorage, Alaska, last year.
- Republican veteran Tony Sabio is on a ‘mission’ to win Virginia’s most Democratic United States House seat
Republican Tony Sabio is vying to replace Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Don Beyer in Virginia's 8th Congressional District race.
- Underprosecuted Then Rearrested: Report Ties Arlington Democrat Leniency to Attempted-Rape Case
Judiciary staff: after years of light handling by Democrat CA Parisa Dehghani-Tafti’s office, Guatemalan national Luzvin Orvando Garcia Moran was charged in an April 2026 Arlington attempted rape — despite prior warnings he was a danger.
- Department of Homeland Security Reviews Virginia Immigration Policies After High-Profile Deportation
The Department of Homeland Security announced criticism of Virginia's immigration enforcement practices following the deportation of Marcelo Vasquez-Reyna.
- Virginia Lawmakers Move Closer to Regulating Self-Driving Vehicles
Virginia lawmakers are considering regulations to allow for autonomous commercial vehicles, which could shift companies from using gas to electric, self-driving vehicles.
- Wendell Walker House Bill 1029 Proposes Temporary Sealing of Criminal Complaints
House Bill 1029, introduced by Delegate Wendell Walker, would amend Virginia law to provide for the temporary sealing of complaints involving criminal warrants, summonses and capiases.
- Virginia lawmakers prepare for a future filled with highly automated aircraft
Virginia lawmakers are aiming sky high as they turn their attention to the future of “advanced air mobility.”
- Virginia General Assembly Passes House Bill 191 to Protect Minor Victims of Sex Trafficking
RICHMOND, Va.
- Paul Krizek House Bill 32 Strengthening Problem Gambling Advisory Committee Passes
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia General Assembly has given final approval to House Bill 32, a measure aimed at enhancing the state’s response to problem gambling by expanding the membership of the Problem Gambling Treatment and Support Advisory Committee.
- Senate Finance Committee Continues Katrina Callsen House Bill 127 on Right to Counsel at Bail Hearings
RICHMOND, Virginia – The Virginia General Assembly has delivered a strong bipartisan endorsement to House Bill 52, sponsored by Delegate Robert Bloxom, passing it unanimously in both chambers.
- Loudoun County Boards Reject Expansion of School Resource Officers to Elementary Schools
Sheriff Mike Chapman’s plan called for placing SROs in elementary schools, with each officer covering three to four schools. Data from the sheriff indicated that in the past three years, SROs stationed at middle and high schools were redirected over 5,000 times to handle incidents at elementaries.
- Housing Bills to Boost Supply, Protect Tenants on Way to Abigail Spanberger's Desk
While some of the most progressive housing bills did not survive this year’s legislative session, many housing proposals are on their way to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk — some of which she has already stated she will sign into law.
- Hemp businesses ask federal judge to block Virginia’s new THC cap
Seven Virginia hemp businesses are asking a federal judge to block new restrictions on consumable hemp products, arguing the changes will wipe out much of their inventory, trigger layoffs and force some companies to close when they take effect on Aug. 15. The lawsuit, filed July 31 in the U.S. District Court for the Western […]
- Virginia Man Flees Country After Weekend Pass from Mental Facility
Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda departed the United States on a one-way flight to Tajikistan while on an approved 48-hour pass from a state mental health facility. Court records show he had been committed to the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute after a not guilty by reason of insanity finding in the 2019 killing of his landlord. The […]
- Independent report calls for campus safety overhaul at Old Dominion University after fatal shooting
An independent firm recommended Old Dominion University improve campus safety, threat assessment, emergency response, communications, and institutional processes in a report released Tuesday, after a fatal campus shooting killed an employee and injured multiple students in May. The report comes as the university prepares to welcome students back to Norfolk on Aug. 24, three months […]
- Advocacy Group Requests Steve Descano Recusal in Fairfax Supervisor Andres Jimenez Traffic Case
A local advocacy organization has formally requested the recusal of Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano from a pending reckless driving case. The case involves County Supervisor Andres Jimenez, who faces charges stemming from a May traffic stop where he was cited for driving 104 miles per hour in a 70-mile-per-hour zone. Virginians for Safe […]
- Loudoun County Board Advances Legislative Position on Immigration Enforcement Cooperation
The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors approved a policy statement for its 2026 legislative program following a 6-3 vote on March 3. The statement supports state legislation encouraging transparency in civil immigration enforcement activities and limiting local law enforcement cooperation in immigration matters. This action was proposed by Algonkian District Supervisor Juli Briskman. Board member
- Federal judge denies hemp entrepreneurs’ request to overturn Virginia’s new THC limit
A federal judge in Roanoke on Friday declined seven Virginia business owners’ request to eliminate a new regulation that removes an exception to the state’s limit of 2 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) per product package. The new standard took effect Aug. 15. The entrepreneurs had asked the U.S. District Court for the Western District of […]
- Virginia Committee Reviews House Bill 623 on Property Return Procedures
A committee of the Virginia House of Delegates held a discussion on HB 623 which seeks to modify existing procedures for returning property to victims of crime. The bill proposes adjustments that would allow local law enforcement to handle certain returns without additional court involvement in specified circumstances. This approach aims to address current requirements […]
- Jen Kiggans Engages with Federal Bureau of Investigation on Public Safety and Election Measures
Congresswoman Jen Kiggans joined FBI Director Kash Patel and Hampton Roads law enforcement for a discussion on public safety issues. The meeting focused on collaboration between federal agencies and local partners to address crime and security challenges in the region. Kiggans has represented Virginia’s Second Congressional District since 2023, covering areas including Virginia Beach and […]
- Virginia Mental Health Patient Flees on Pass as Steve Descano Faces Blame
Abdulloi Toshpulodzoda was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the 2019 killing of his landlord and subsequently committed to the Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute in Falls Church. In July, he was granted a 48-hour pass from the facility and used it to travel to Dulles Airport for a one-way international flight to […]
- Virginia Budget Expands Government Bureaucracy to Fund New Recreational Marijuana Market
The state of Virginia is embarking on a massive expansion of state bureaucracy to establish a fully regulated recreational marijuana marketplace under the forthcoming biennial budget. Governor Abigail Spanberger recently announced a compromise to launch retail sales by July 1, 2027, ending a five-year period where adult possession was legal but retail sales were not. […]
- Loudoun County Dedicates Significant Budget Increases to Public Safety and Emergency Operations
Loudoun County has outlined a comprehensive fiscal strategy within its latest financial plan, prioritizing essential public safety operations to ensure core resident protection needs are met. The newly detailed budget allocates a massive portion of its total $5.4 billion framework toward expanding emergency response and law enforcement capabilities. Notably, public safety and judicial administrati