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What are the jurisdictional boundaries for the Town of Vinton Police Department?

The town lines start just before the Roanoke County Career Center on Gus Nicks Blvd as you enter Vinton from Roanoke City. The next boundary ends at the Shell Station on Washington Ave as you head toward Beford County. Another boundary line starts on Dale Avenue at the Railroad bridge as you enter Vinton on Virginia Ave. This line ends on Hardy Rd just past the Race Zone gas station, just past W.E. Cundiff Elementary School. There are other boundary lines that separate our jurisdiction from Roanoke County and Roanoke City, so if you are unsure as to what jurisdiction you need to report your concern, feel free to call our department at 540-562-3265.

What happens when I submit something through online reporting?

Any submissions received by the Vinton Police Department through online reporting are reviewed and then forwarded to the division or officer that is responsible for the type of submission. For example, if you submit a traffic complaint, the information is sent directly to all patrol officers for further enforcement action. If you submit a criminal offense report, it is forwarded directly to the patrol supervisor on duty for review and further follow-up. We will make every effort to efficiently handle online submissions in a timely manner.

How do I obtain a copy of a criminal or traffic accident report?

Accident reports can be obtained through a participating website, located within the Records Division menu, under TracView reports. All of our department's traffic accident reports are submitted electronically to this website in order to streamline the process and make it easier for citizens to obtain their own copies. This system is easy to navigate through, but you will need the complete incident report number to access your report and there is a $10 fee associated with obtaining your copy of the report through this website. Both criminal and traffic accident reports can also be obtained through our Records Division at the police department, but require 48 hr notice and cost nothing.

How do I see what type of crime is occurring in my community?

The police department participates in a crime mapping application, which is located within the Records Division menu under Crime Mapping. This website will allow you to enter in the dates and area of your concern and then see what type of crimes have been reported.

Does your department offer citizen fingerprinting for background checks?

No, all fingerprinting services are directed to the Roanoke County Sheriff's Department at 305 East Main Street, Salem, VA 24153. They offer fingerprinting services for citizens Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. and require a photo ID with a $5 service charge.

How do I obtain a concealed weapons permit?

There is too much information to cover about this topic. Please refer to VA Code section 18.2-308 under the VA Laws section of our website. Under this section, you will find the definition of concealed weapons and the requirements and disqualifiers for possessing and carrying concealed weapons in the state of Virginia. To sum it up; persons who wish to obtain a concealed weapons permit must first apply for one at their circuit court from the jurisdiction in which they reside. Once the courts have completed the background check process, the applicant must submit their fingerprints and take an approved firearms safety course. There are fees associated with a concealed carry permit, but it varies among jurisdictions.

What do I do if I have let someone live with me who is not officially on the deed or lease and now I want them to move out, but they refuse to leave?

The proper and lawful way to evict an unwanted and unuathorized occupant within the Town of Vinton would be to first, issue the occupant a 10 day written notice to vacate if that occupant is not paying any rental fees. If the occupant is paying rental fees, you must then issue the occupant a 30 day notice to vacate. Be sure to keep a copy of this notice for court purposes. Once the notice period has expired and the occupant still has not vacated the premises, then you can go to the Roanoke County General District Court and request a summons for unlawful detainer, which is the civil claim for eviction and will eventually get you and the occupant in front of a judge within 21 days of filing to dispute the issue. This is the only proper way to evict someone from your residence once you've let them live there for any period of time and police officers will not evict unwanted occupants when problems arise.

What do I do if someone has issued me a bad check with insufficient funds?

The first step in this process, as required by VA Code, is to send the suspect a certified letter to their last known address stating that their check has been declined and that payment must be made within five days from the receipt of that certified letter. Once this is completed and you have notice that the certified letter was delivered, if the suspect does not pay the amount within the five days, you may then go to the police department or magistrate and attempt to obtain warrants on that person for bad checks. These offenses should be referred to the jurisdiction where the check was deposited.
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