Maintenance

The operations of Maintenance consists of a variety of tasks. Maintenance is responsible for the daily maintenance of properties and vehicles belonging to the Sheriff’s Office. Those properties would include, but not limited to, the Sheriff’s Office itself, the Jail, Jail Farm, firing range, maintenance shop, and the facility for Animal Control. They are also responsible for the maintenance of Sheriff’s Office vehicles and make regular type of normal repairs.

Canine (K-9) Unit

The Sheriff’s Office has two K-9’s and handlers that are generally available to performs their functions with twenty-four hour coverage. Both handler and K-9 receive specialized and certified training. Both K-9s are training to perform tracking functions in case like runaway juveniles with special circumstances, lost persons with a medical or mental need, and tracking of suspects from a crime scene or situation. One of the K-9s has additional training to perform functions like building and vehicle searches involving narcotics, apprehension of fleeing persons, and handler protection. Both canines are certified; one through the Virginia Police Work Dog Association using standard through the National Police Bloodhound Association and the other through the Virginia Police K-9 Association.

Litter Control

This program was instituted in the Sheriff’s Office approximately five years ago. The program is designed to utilize persons who have been ordered by the court to serve probation time on a sentence. The probationers are assigned through the Franklin Probation Office, which services Southampton County also. Those persons on the program are responsible for picking up trash along assigned roadways in Southampton County for up to a period of five years of their probation.

Sign Maintenance

The Sheriff’s Office has one individual who is responsible for ensuring that all of the road signs are in their designated locations and in good repair. When a sign is found to be missing or damaged, a new sign will be made or repairs done to the existing one if feasible.

Animal Control

Animal Control is comprised of two main functions, enforcement and sheltering. The goal is to balance the health, safety and welfare needs of the citizens and animals in Southampton County. They encourage responsible companion animal ownership, aggressively investigate animal cruelty cases, and provide compassion and humane care for unwanted, stray, abused, and abandoned animals in Southampton. When possible, adoptable animals are given new homes.