HAMPTON ROADS — The Virginia State Police announced an open house taking place on March 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Suffolk office in an effort to boost recruitment.
The open house will feature static displays, equipment, the K9 unit and demonstrations. There will also be tactical vehicles, trooper cars and equipment on display.
“We want people to come out and actually see what the state police does. You can meet with the local troopers, meet with our speciality units, our TAC team (SWAT), our search and rescue team, motorcycle team, dispatch, and more. People can really see what we do and actually talk to the troopers that are on the road to gain insight into what this job truly takes,” Sgt. Michelle Anaya, public information officer for VSP said.
The event will take place rain or shine.
Applications for those interested will be available on-site, as well as the opportunity to speak to state police recruiters.
The Virginia State Police was formed in 1922 when the Virginia General Assembly recognized the need to hire state employees to enforce the Automobile Acts of 1919. Eight men were hired as inspectors and those men became part of the newly created Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles in 1923.
Since its inception, the agency has responded to thousands of calls for service, has aided in crowd control, and helped in protecting large assets on official visits to the commonwealth.
For more information on the Virginia State Police, visit vsp.virginia.gov.