About Us

Honorable and rich is the heritage of the Salem Police Department. With an authorized strength of 67 sworn personnel complimented by 37 civilian employees, the Department's primary mission is to protect the life, individual liberty, and property of all people within the City of Salem, Virginia.

The roots of the Department can be traced back to 1802 when the village of Salem was initially carved from Botetourt County. Records show that Salem was policed by a town sergeant from the mid-1830s until 1922 when a more formalized police force was instituted. The original location of the police headquarters was 19 North College Street.

Today, the facility contains 23,338 square feet reflecting an expansion of over 11,000 square feet of additional space. The floor plan of the building provides optimal utilization for employees with a spacious classroom facility, state of the art E-911 center along with areas to support the technological approaches to preventing and solving crime. Quality appointments and equipment are positioned throughout the three-story structure to enable the delivery of high levels of service to the City, its residents, and daily visitors.

With the passage of a century of professional service, three officers have provided the ultimate measure of sacrifice. They stand today as symbols of courage and honor to the men and women who are ready to serve!