RICHMOND, Va., –
The Defense Logistics Agency police department at Richmond has earned top honors as the “Outstanding Police Activity of the Year” for 2024, acknowledging the dedication and service of the men and women in blue that help provide a safe and secure environment for the Defense Supply Center Richmond and DLA Aviation community.
The “Outstanding Police Activity of the Year” award, presented annually, recognizes police activities across the DLA enterprise that have demonstrated exceptional performance, innovation, and commitment to excellence.
“Under the leadership of Police Chief Mark Bowen, the DLA Police Department at Richmond has continually pursued excellence in every aspect of law enforcement and public safety,” said DLA Installation Management Site Director Thomas Reinard. “Through modern training tactics, impeccable professionalism and proactive community engagement, the team continues to provide enduring support to DSCR.”
One key factor in the team's selection for this award was their demonstrated expertise in emergency response.
Throughout the rating period, the team responded to 28,631 calls for service, with each call averaging less than three minutes between call and response times, exceeding the DLA standard for Police response. During this time, the team also screened 610,841 employees, visitors and contractors at two Access Control Points (ACP) utilizing the Defense Biometrics Identification System, helping to ensure safe entry onto the Installation.
"The team's emergency response capabilities are a critical component of the overall mission," said Bowen. “Our expertise in this area has been recognized and praised by the DSCR/DLA community, which has helped establish us as leaders in the field of law enforcement.”
According to Reinard, exemplary training and officer situational awareness aided in identifying vehicle and occupant access control compliance issues at the ACPs, resulting in 129 access denials. In addition, officers’ keen observations and procedural compliance at ACPs prevented potential threats and prohibited items from entering the installation.
In addition to their exceptional service and dedication, the team implemented various initiatives to build trust and foster strong relationships with the DSCR local community. These initiatives include establishing specialized traffic units, community outreach, conducting regular training and maintaining procedural compliance.
As a result of implementing these initiatives, the police department executed 16,422 security checks, conducted 251 traffic stops and completed 98 police reports for a variety of reportable offenses,
The police department also partnered with the Child Development Center to establish several initiatives, including reading books to the children, holding child safety seat installation training for parents, and conducting daily walk-throughs for security and presence. The goal was to strengthen the bond between law enforcement officials, CDC staff members and children.
“The team continues to show a high level of professionalism and expertise, providing timely and effective response to ensure the safety and well-being of the local community,” Bowen said. “This award would not have been made possible if not for the hard work, dedication, loyalty, and professionalism of every Officer that serves within this great agency.”
During the rating period, the training division, regarded as the department’s backbone, successfully planned, executed and evaluated progressive law enforcement techniques. Some of these techniques showcase collaborative efforts between the team and other law enforcement entities, including the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, Chesterfield County Police and Virginia State Police, utilizing internal and external resources. The training division has local jurisdictions that use the partnership for training their working dogs and enhancing Random Antiterrorism Measures programs.
The Training Division also implemented and validated an enhanced curriculum for field training for new officers with key objectives in the following areas: use of force, sexual assault, child abuse response, speed measurement certification, cardiopulmonary resuscitation/basic life support certifications, Virginia Criminal Information Network/National Crime Information Center training, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive familiarization and interactive shoot/don't shoot scenarios.
“Our officers make a positive impact on the installation daily, whether it is a morning greeting at the ACPs, contact made during a community policing walkthrough or responding to a call for service,” Bowen said. “Award or no award, the DLA Richmond Police Department will always strive for success.”
The “Outstanding Police Activity of the Year” award was presented to the DLA Police Department at Richmond during the Annual Awards ceremony on Jan. 23, 2025, at DLA headquarters on Fort Belvoir.
“This award certainly does not define us, but it surely does validate our continued success and efforts,” Bowen said. “As we push our vision, direction, and growth model in conjunction with crowning achievements like receiving this award, the bar is only raised higher for 2025.”
TAGS: DLA Aviation, Defense Supply Center Richmond, DSCR, DLA Outstanding Police Activity of the Year