A Wintergreen Police Officer’s Typical Day
Officers report for duty as per their assigned schedule, which can vary. Patrol officers are in their cruisers and ready for an assignment on the hour they begin their day.
Accreditation requirements have the officer routinely check over his cruiser before beginning duty, such as lights, siren, etc. to be sure they are in working order.
The officers work a 10-hour shift. Some begin their shift in the valley and pick up their cruiser at the Tuckahoe Clubhouse patrolling the valley community as they deem appropriate before heading up to the mountain community.
Patrol officers are required to stop by the gatehouse/communications center once on duty. Here they receive daily updates on the previous shift’s activities, read the previous days reports, review the radio log for general information and updates, check the message board for schedule changes and other announcements, look over the patrol officer daily communications book, review their house-check lists for activations and deactivations, pick up their shift’s radar set, and review the officers daily information exchange board.
A 3,400-square foot addition was built for the police officers in 2014 to serve Wintergreen’s law enforcement services.
Officers use this building for typing their reports into the networked computer reporting system, to receive online academy training, in-house video training and read in-house document training, i.e. court case summaries, Virginia Code, etc.
The building also serves as their lunch room, restroom, break room, in- house mail room, and the place for discussions with other officers and supervisors. The building also has a large conference room for in house training and hosting other agencies.
There are also secured evidence and property rooms, a secured weapons storage/cleaning room, two interview rooms with built-in recording systems, a uniform closet, a kitchen, and restroom facilities.
Joe Davis, Deputy Chief, oversees patrol operations.