Department History
Winchester is the oldest city in the Blue Ridge Mountains. In 1716, Virginia’s governor led a band of explorers across the mountains at Swift Run Gap. Colonel James Wood founded Winchester as a town in 1744. In 1755, as a colonel commanding the Virginia Militia in Winchester, George Washington was given the task of defending the western Virginia frontier. In 1788, Virginia became the tenth state admitted into the Union.
In 1822, the City of Winchester Police Department was first created. It consisted of one officer, known as the Town Sergeant.
Today, the Police Department is comprised of 77 full-time officers. The Department is a leader in the community policing philosophy and is dedicated to professional public service.