The following General Orders are provided for public access, to achieve transparency and understanding between the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office and the citizens we serve in Loudoun County. These General Orders set forth responsibilities and standards of conduct expected of all employees of the Loudoun County Sheriff, both sworn and non-sworn. 

General Orders are regularly updated, changed, combined and sometimes rescinded to better serve the citizens of Loudoun County and the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. Certain agency policies and procedures have been withheld entirely or redacted in sections, consistent with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, to prevent the release of information that, if disclosed, would jeopardize operations or compromise officer or public safety.

For more information regarding agency policies, please contact the LCSO Records Services Section by email or by calling 703-777-0407.

Foreward

Law Enforcement Code of Ethics

Mission Statement

Organization/Administration

101 Authority and Organization201 Written Directive System202 Procedural Orders203 Prohibited Activities 204 Inspectional Services





205 Employee Conduct206 Revision of General Orders207 Personal Use of Social Media208 Cash Handling



Personnel Management 

301 Grievance Procedure302 Internal Investigation and Inquiries303 General Responsibilities304 Administrative Activities




305 Physical Standards306 Selection307 Planning and Research308 Uniforms and Equipment




309 Off Duty Employment310.1 Personnel Records310.2 Harassment310.3 Performance Evaluation




310.4 Temporary Restricted Duty310.5 Administrative Restricted Duty310.6 Recruitment310.7 Casualty Assistance Plan




310.8 Communicable Diseases311.1 Annual Leave311.2 Sick Leave312.1 Valor Awards




312.2 Awards and Recognition Program312.3 EMPACT Awards312.4 Exceptional Performance Leave313.1 Career Development




313.2 Agency Training313.3 Training Records313.4 Field Training Program313.5 Intern Program




313.6 Promotion Process
313.7 Transfer Process




Operations

401.1 Patrol Operations & Procedures401.2 Non-Biased Policing401.3 Ceremonial Protocol401.4 Victim Witness Assistance




401.5 Effective Communication with the Deaf or Hearing Impaired401.6 Amber Plan401.7 Preventive Radiological Nuclear Detection Program401.8 Automated License Plate Recognition




401.10 Special Events401.11 Court Procedures401.12 Incident Command Systems401.15 Ride-Along Program




401.16 MDCs and Other Electronic Equipment401.18 Emergency Recall401.19 Relationships with Other Agencies401.20 Chainsaw Operations




402.1 Arrest Procedures402.2 Alternatives to Arrest – Use of Discretion402.3 Criminal and Traffic Summons402.4 Stop and Frisk & De-Arrest Guidelines




403.1 Use of Force403.3 Impact Weapons403.4 Active Counter Measures403.5 Oleoresin Capsicum




403.6 Chemical Munitions403.7 Electronic Restraint Device403.8 Stop Sticks403.9 Less Lethal Impact Munitions




403.11 Restraint of Pregnant Persons403.12 Investigation of Use of Deadly Force404.1 Firearms Qualifications404.2 Authorized Weapons and Ammunition




404.5 Negligent Discharge of a Firearm404.6 Use of Weapon on Domestic and Non-Domestic Animals405.1 Operations of Sheriff’s Vehicles405.2 Emergency Response




405.3 Operation of Special Purpose Vehicles405.4 Pursuit

405.5 Investigation of Sheriff’s Vehicle Crashes


406.1 Active Threat Response
406.2 Shoplifting Offenses406.3 Arrest of Foreign Nationals406.4 Domestic Violence406.5 Alarms




406.6 Bank Alarms406.8 Adult Missing Persons406.9 Temporary Detention and Emergency Custody Orders406.10 Control at Crime and Civil Disaster Scenes




406.11 Notification of Next-of-Kin406.12 Service Investigations and Arrest Loudoun County Public Schools406.13 Runaways and Follow-Up406.14 Disaster Response and Unusual Occurrences




406.16 Automatic External Defibrillators406.17 Recovery and Processing of Stolen Vehicles406.18 Mutual Aid406.20 Fire Related Offenses




406.21 Naloxone for Opiate Overdose406.22 Crisis Intervention Team and Assessment Center407.2 Lookouts Broadcast407.3 Alert Tone Function




407.4 Communications Duties and Responsibilities407.5 Significant Incident Notifications408.1 Towing Impoundment or Seizure of Motor Vehicles408.3 Checkpoints and Checking Details




408.4 Motor Carrier Truck Safety Unit408.5 Crash Investigation408.6 Severe Weather Crash Investigation408.7 Ancillary Motorist Services




408.8 Traffic Services and Administration

408.9 Traffic Direction and Control408.10 Use of RADAR or Laser Equipment408.11 Smart RADAR Equipment
409.3 Canine Operations409.6 Underwater Search and Evidence Recovery409.7 Civil Disturbance Unit409.8 Honor Guard




409.9 Critical Incident Stress Management Team409.10 Search and Rescue409.11 Project Lifesaver Team409.12 School Crossing Guards




409.13 Auxiliary Unit409.14 Community Policing Unit409.15 Crime Prevention Unit409.16 Crime Analysis




409.17 Computer Forensics Unit409.18 Arson Fatal Fire Task Force409.19 Bicycle Patrol409.20 Chaplain Unit




410.1 Public Information410.2 CIO and PIO Positions410.3 ECC Public Information Responsibilities410.4 Community Notification
411.1 Search and Seizure411.2 Suspect Lineup and Show-Up Procedure411.3 Juvenile Operations411.4 Preliminary Death Investigations




411.6 Seizure and Forfeiture of Assets411.7 Audio Video Recording Equipment411.8 Criminal Investigations Organization and Administration411.9 Criminal Investigation Case Management




411.10 Sex Crimes Investigations411.13 Clothing to be Worn on Surveillance and Stakeouts
411.14 Confidential Funds
411.16 Forensic Mapping System




411.17 Body-Worn Cameras

411.18 Digital Images


411.19 Drug Court
412.1 Court Security Mission and Organization
412.2 Court Security Administration and Operation
412.5 Courthouse Control Room Operations
412.6 Courthouse Prisoner Security
412.7 Courthouse Security Key Control




412.8 Civil Enforcement Policies and Procedures
412.9 Civil Enforcement Levies
412.10 Civil Enforcement Evictions and Writs of Possession
412.12 Escape from Custody – Court Complex




412.13 Bomb Threat – Emergency in Court Complex
412.15 Use of Ceremonial Courthouse

412.16 Specialized Events
412.17 Weapons and Ordinance Control




413.1 Central Records
413.2 Incident Reporting
413.3 Report Submission
413.4 Privacy and Security Act for Criminal History Information




414.1 Property and Evidence Procedures
414.2 Custody of Property

414.3 Firearms Taken into Custody
414.4 Custody of Controlled Substances – Illegal Drugs and Paraphernalia
414.5 Property Management County Owned Property




Corrections 

501.1 Philosophy, Goals, and Objectives501.2 Policies and Procedures502.1 Key and Proximity Card Control502.2 Door Control




502.3 Housing Unit and Security Cell Entry502.4 Inmate Movement
502.5 Searches502.6 Facility Inspections




502.7 Contraband Control502.8 Facility Logs – Information and Management502.9 Incident Reporting502.10 Inmate Counts Procedures




502.11 Storage Areas502.12 Food Service Area Security Operations502.13 Armory, Weapons, and Ordinance Control502.14 Administrative Areas




502.15 Facility Communications Systems502.16 Security Management System Alarms503.1 Emergency Notifications503.3 Inmate Sexual Assault




503.4 Attempted Suicide503.5 Death of an Inmate503.7 Fire Safety and Preparedness503.9 Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA)




504.1 Inebriated Arrestees and Inmates504.3 Administrative Segregation504.4 Self Destructive Behavior504.5 Special Operations Team




505.1 Inmate Classification505.2 Time Computation505.3 Inmate Records, Criminal History Security, and Release of Information505.4 Committal of Inmates




505.5 Release of Inmates505.6 Inmate Access to Courts, Attorneys, and Legal Services505.7 Staff and Inmate Communications505.8 Code of Inmate Offenses and Discipline




505.9 Inmate Grievance Procedures505.10 Live Scan Fingerprinting System505.11 DNA Sampling505.12 Trans-Gender Classification




506.1 Inmate Commissary506.2 Inmate Financial Accounting System506.3 Volunteers, Programs, and Educational Services506.4 Library Services




506.5 Recreation506.6 Inmate Mail506.7 Inmate Telephone Access506.8 Inmate Visitation




506.9 Hygiene, Sanitation, and Laundry506.10 Inmate Haircuts506.11 Inmate Trusty Program506.12 Inmate Property




506.13 Professional Contact Visits507.1 Food Services507.2 Medical Services507.3 Mental Health Services




507.4 Facility Maintenance507.5 Background Investigations for Contractual Hires507.6 Hearing Impaired and Interpreter Services508.1 Correctional Training and Evaluation Program




508.2 Mandatory Training and Certification Process508.3 Hazardous Communications509.1 Community Custody Program Eligibility509.2 Inmate Orientation for New Participants




509.3 Community Custody Housing and Linen Issue509.4 Community Custody Inmate Personal Property509.5 Substance Abuse Testing509.7 Job Checks and Removal of Job Site




509.8 Community Custody Discipline509.9 Community Custody Fiscal Management509.10 Participant Evaluations509.11 Community Custody Employment




509.12 Creating, Maintaining, and Archiving Inmate Records509.13 Program Removal