United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The United States Department of Veterans Affairs Police is the police and security service of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. A Federal law enforcement agency, it is the uniformed police force responsible for the protection of the veterans hospitals and medical centers and other facilities operated by the Veterans Health Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The VA Police occasionally provide bodyguard services for the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and comprise over 2700 sworn personnel.
The Veterans Administration was founded in 1930 and the VA Police began as the VA Protective Service that year. They were assigned the role of maintaining order, protecting persons and property, and providing fire safety services. As the VA evolved, the fire safety role was turned over to Engineering Service and the Protective Service became a security guard force 0085 series.
By a 1973 federal law, the guard force was abolished and the VA Police 0083 was established. This evolution was brought about due to the changing needs of the VA and an increase of police related matters that could not be handled by a guard force or community law enforcement agencies.
The majority of VA Police applicants must have a minimum of two years law enforcement experience with arrest authority (obtained through federal, state, or municipal Police experience or through service as a military police Officer), or have an Associate's or Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice. Applicants must also undergo an physical examination, MMPI psychological evaluation and background investigation.
Upon selection, VA Police Officers go through an basic five-week training course at the Law Enforcement Training Center in Little Rock, Arkansas to suppliment training most have already recieved in previous occupations. Additionally, VA Police Officers receive continuous in-service and specialized training. VA Police Officers are certified in CPR (as First Responders), use of Chemical Irritant Projector (O.C. spray), the PR-24 Police side handle baton, and the Beretta 92D 9 mm firearm.
The VA Police are not entitled to (LEO) Law Enforcement PAY or RETIREMENT due to the fact their duties and responsibilities are not broad enough as police or investigators. According to some people in the Federal Law Enforcement community, the VA Police's primary job is resource protection (security) and not law enforcement. Such as, 1811 series Criminal Investigators.
