Vice & Narcotics

Responsibilities & Services

The Vice and Narcotics Division investigates narcotics and prostitution-related offenses occurring within the City of Norfolk. It is commanded by a captain who reports to the assistant chief of the Investigative Services Bureau. Two distinct investigative units comprise the Division - the Street Enforcement Unit and the Narcotics Unit.

Narcotics Unit

  • Narcotics Section is comprised of investigators who conduct short term narcotics investigations based on information received from informants and citizens. This section serves as a bridge to the Long Term Section.
  • Long Term Section is responsible for conducting longer-term narcotics investigations. These investigations are designed to target the individual supplier or group of suppliers who are responsible for providing narcotics to the street level drug dealers. The operations of this section consist of covert surveillance, intelligence gathering, use of informants, and search warrants. Additionally, personnel conducts major long term historical investigations into individuals and organizations involved in these activities in conjunction with federal agencies for prosecution in the federal judicial system.
  • Technical Operations Section is responsible for maintaining all of the division's electronic surveillance equipment. Additionally, the investigators assigned to this section are responsible for assisting in the electronic monitoring of undercover officers and assisting other members of the division in conducting electronic surveillance.
  • Vice Section is comprised of investigators who conduct enforcement operations designed to target illicit prostitution. Vice investigators work to actively stem prostitution in the City of Norfolk by conducting undercover vice operations which target both the prostitute and the "john."

Street Enforcement Unit

  • Interdiction Section is responsible for stemming the flow of illicit narcotics into the city through the interdiction of local:
    • Airport and Seaport Terminals
    • Bus Stations
    • Highways and Roadways
    • Hotels
    • Motels
    • Package Delivery Services
    • Storage Complexes
      The Interdiction Section also serves as the home of the Narcotic Detection Dog Teams. These dogs are certified as reliable to detect the odors of:
      • Cocaine
      • Ecstasy
      • Heroin
      • Marijuana
      • Methamphetamine
      • Their derivatives, as well as the United States Currency, contaminated with drug odors
  • Street Response Section is comprised of two platoons that are responsible for the identification, suppression, and control of illegal street level narcotic activities (open-air markets). The platoons conduct short term and mid-level investigations and undercover operations to thwart street-level drug dealers through street surveillance, consensual arrests, buy / bust arrests and takedown arrests. The Street Response Platoons also use the unconventional method of drug reversal operations in which undercover police officers pose as drug dealers in an effort to catch the drug buyers.

Contact

Email the Vice and Narcotics Division to provide information about narcotics or prostitution-related activity, please call 757-664-7000 and ask to speak with an investigator.