Operations

Lt. Roldan serves as the Division’s Operations Commander and in this role, he oversees the day-to-day functions of the Police Department to include: Patrol, K9 program, Animal Control program, School Resource Officer program, and Division fleet program, amongst several other administrative responsibilities. Lt. Roldan also serves as the City’s Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator in conjunction with Chief Smith. Lt. Roldan has served as a Patrol Officer, School Resource Officer, Criminal Investigator, and in his current role as the Operations Commander.

Patrol

The Patrol section provides 24-hour service to the citizens of Covington and is divided into four squads with three Officers per squad. Officers work 12-hour shifts and are assigned to one of two districts within the City of Covington. The Division is responsible for patrolling the streets of Covington, responding to all 911 calls for service, and enforcing criminal and traffic laws within the city. The Patrol section responds to an average of 5,500 calls annually that are dispatched from the Emergency Communication Center. The Patrol section is tasked with investigating misdemeanor criminal activity as well as felony offenses. All incident reports from calls for service are forwarded to the Operations Commander and Criminal Investigator for review and are sent to the Virginia State Police for statistical purposes.

Animal Control

The Animal Control Officer is a dual role position serving as a certified law enforcement officer, enabling them to not only handle all animal control calls but also serve as an additional officer on patrol during their tour of duty. This is an extreme benefit to our citizens, as the Animal Control position was formerly a civilian position with no law enforcement abilities. The Animal Control Officer handles approximately 1,000 calls for service for animal complaints annually. The Animal Control Officer only handles domesticated animal complaints and works with the Alleghany Humane Society with the relocation of loose or lost animals. The Animal Control Officer can be called upon to address wild animals that pose an immediate threat.

All domesticated animals captured by the ACO are taken to the Alleghany Humane Society and are held at the shelter for 10 days. If not identified by the owner, the animal is then placed up for adoption to the public. The shelter can be reached at (540) 862-2436.

The main purpose of Animal Control is to ensure that citizens are safe from animals, domestic and wild, and that animals are safe and properly cared for.

The City of Covington requires that dogs be restrained from running at large in public areas.

School Resource

The City of Covington has two (2) Alleghany Highlands Public Schools within the City limits: Covington Middle School and Jeter Watson Elementary School. The Police Division employs two part-time certified police officers who serve as School Resource Officers. These Officers provide campus security at each school and work only during the school year. They are responsible for all minor criminal investigations and handle any traffic control that may be needed on and around their assigned school campuses.

Killed in the Line of Duty

Officer Caleb D. Ogilvie

Police Officer Caleb Ogilvie was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance call at a convenience store at 121 North Alleghany Avenue in Covington at about 4:47 pm.

The Covington Division of Police and the Alleghany County Sheriff's Office, upon being alerted to the suspect's erratic behavior inside the store, immediately responded to the scene. As Officer Ogilvie and another Covington Officer were the first to arrive. The subject, who had already killed one victim, came out of the store armed with a pistol and opened fire on the officers. Officer Ogilvie was fatally wounded during the subsequent exchange of gunfire. Following a short standoff, the suspect exited the store and fired at officers. The suspect was subsequently shot and killed at the scene.

Once the scene was secure, it was discovered that the suspect had shot and killed a male relative inside the store. The female relative was not injured. Both were employees of the business, married to one another, and related to the suspect.

Officer Ogilvie was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Covington Division of Police for less than one year. He is survived by his wife and four children.