Our Department

The roots of law enforcement in Williamsburg can be traced back to colonial times. The responsibility of reporting cases to the court was granted to the vestry when Bruton Parish was formed in 1674. When the city government of Williamsburg was established in 1722, they were empowered to make constables and execute all laws, statutes, and ordinances.

Law enforcement in Williamsburg evolved from the colonial re-active form of enforcement to the "Town Sergeant" concept in 1930, to the current pro-active, community-oriented Police Department of today. The Public Safety Communications Center dispatches Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services, utilizing the most modern E911 system currently available.

Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) Accreditation

On July 12, 1987, the Williamsburg Police Department became the 49th Law Enforcement Agency in the United States to be awarded CALEA Accreditation. The department has received re-accreditation status nine times:  1992, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018.

CALEA Accreditation ensures that the Williamsburg Police Department is held to a higher standard of service. See more information at CALEA, and how it benefits our agency and our community.

CALEA Accreditation Public Comment Portal

The purpose of this public portal is to receive comments regarding an agency's compliance with CALEA standards, engagement in the service community, delivery of public safety services, and overall candidacy for accredited status. These comments can be in the form of commendations or concerns. The overall intent of the accreditation process is to provide the participating agency with information to support continuous improvement, as well as foster the pursuit of professional excellence.

If you wish to provide a comment, please click the link:  https://cimrs2.calea.org/922