Listed below are news and events happening within and sponsored by the Covington Division of Police.

November 14, 2011: The City of Covington Division of Police is establishing an eligibility list for the position of police officer. Applicants who are chosen after a final screening will be placed on a priority list for hire.  Individuals as police officers perform general police patrol duties, which consists in part, of working rotating shifts, nights, weekends, holidays and must be available 24 hours a day for duty, after extensive police officer training.  Applicants must be a high school graduate, at least 21 years of age, must pass physical and psychological tests & examinations, and possess a valid Virginia operator’s license and have no criminal record.  Successful candidates will conform to uniform and grooming requirements and adherence to Police Division Rules and Regulations.  Current starting salary is $ 14.81 per hour or $30,805 per annum, with excellent fringe benefits, including participation in the LEOS Program.

           Deadline for application is 12:00 noon on Wednesday, 23 November 2011.

           Applicants may apply at the Virginia Employment Commission at 106 N. Maple Avenue, Covington, Virginia.

           An EEO employer.

Officers navigate steep terrain in Douthat State Park during one of their land navigation courses.

August 22, 2011: The Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy in conjunction with Douthat State Park and the Covington Police Department conducted the 1st 3-day Basic Land Navigation course on August 16-18, 2011. LT Alan Ferris from the Covington Police Department was the primary instructor for the course. The course was designed to provide law enforcement officers the skills need to read topographic maps, plan grid coordinates and navigate in unfamiliar terrain when conducting Emergency Response Team and Search and Rescue operations.

Officers where required to go through 10 hours of classroom instruction along with 14 hours of difficult practical course work on land navigations courses set up on Douthat State Park property. Deputies and Officers from several agencies throughout the area participated in the training.

The course was set-up as a joint effort between the Cardinal Criminal Justice Academy in Salem, Virginia, Park Manager Charlie O'Conner of Douthat State Park and the Covington Police Department.

See our photograph page for more course photos.