Phone: (757)220-2331
Emergency: 911
POLICE 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.
On July 12, 1987, the Williamsburg Police Department became the 49th Law Enforcement Agency in the United States to be awarded Accreditation. The department has received re-accreditation status five times: 1992, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009. The latest on-site assessment and Commission review for re-accreditation occurred in the spring of 2012.