The Investigative Division fairly and impartially handles all investigations concerning criminal or administrative incidents involving employees, jail residents and citizens, while earning public trust with professional and efficient operations.
With consideration to Sheriff Woody's commitment to improving the safety of all those persons who come in contact with the Sheriff’s Office, with providing an outstanding customer service and the integrity of all those who serve under his direction, the Sheriff has in place a team of seven Investigators who operate under the Supervision and Guidance of a Colonel – OIC of the Investigative Division. This team, among other things conducts random employee and jail resident searches and drug/alcohol screens to ensure that Sheriff’s Office facilities stay safe and free of all contraband.
Division responsibilities include the following:
- Deadbeat Parent Taskforce
- Primary Gang Intelligence Unit
- Criminal & Administrative investigations
- High Risk Witness/Prisoner Protection Transport Team
- Capias/ Fugitive Unit
- Receive and serve all legal process for employees and jail residents
- Issue and Inventory all Firearms and Chemical Agents
- Maintain personal weapons records
- Conducts Background Checks
This division also serves as additional security during high risk trials. Investigators operate in both uniform and/or plainclothes as determined by the type of assignment.
Closed Circuit Camera System to Increase Jail Security and Safety
During his very successful first term of office Sheriff Woody increased Jail security by installing a closed-circuit camera system to monitor and record key locations around the premises. This system also monitors and records all interviews conducted by the Investigative Division.
Deadbeat Parents Taskforce
The Deadbeat Parent Taskforce is currently the only active law enforcement initiative seeking parents evading their child support
responsibilities.
Lead by a team of Investigative Division investigators, the project is part of an enhanced effort to crack down on city of
Richmond defaulting fathers and mothers. Collectively on the initial roster, these individuals have approximately 400 warrants
out for their arrest due to nonpayment and owe over $7 million in child support to their children.
The taskforce Top 10 Most Wanted Deadbeat Parents list features parents owing as much as $174K in back child support payments.
In its first two months, the Deadbeat Parent Taskforce tracked down parents who owed over $600K. These individuals now face a judicial system that will determine how these parents can best pay their child support debt.
"The Taskforce is a high priority for the Sheriff's Office because it's a question of individual responsibility and doing the right thing. We want to send a message that no parent is above the system. You might be able to divorce your husband or your wife or leave your boyfriend or girlfriend behind. However, you can't divorce your child or leave behind your parental responsibility to support your children. People in the City of Richmond that are behind on their child support and have outstanding arrest warrants because of back child support payments should be on notice that we are out there looking for them".
- Sheriff C.T. Woody, Jr.
"The Commonwealth applauds and appreciates Sheriff Woody's commitment to the children of these parents. His leadership in forming this taskforce is one of the last hopes many of these children have."
- Nick Young,
Deputy Commissioner and Director
VA Division of Child Support Enforcement
Richmond City Sheriff's Office 24-hour Hotline - (804)646-0128
The automated or in-person line will take calls from people who want to give deputies updated information and photos of deadbeat
parents who have warrants out for their arrest.
Richmond District Office
VA Division of Child Support Enforcement Customer Service - (877)822-4533
This line gives parents need information on how to start child support proceedings or to report a parent that is behind in
paying child support.
