Sheriff
Staff
Our present sheriff is Michael W. Taylor. He took office in 2008. The Sheriff's Office employs 136 people:
- 7 DCJS Certified Administrative Staff
- 2 Internal Affairs Investigators
- 1 Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission Accreditation Manager
- 8 DCJS Certified Special Investigation / Fugitive Warrant Investigators
- 13 DCJS Certified Criminal Investigators
- 4 DCJS Certified Crime Scene Specialists
- 27 DCJS Certified Patrol Officers
- 31 DCJS Certified Corrections Officers
- 3 DCJS Certified Civil Process Officers
- 5 DCJS Certified Court Security Officers
- 10 DCJS Certified School Resource Officers
- 5 DCJS Certified K-9 Officers
- 7 FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) Certified Unmanned Aerial Systems Operators
- 5 Emergency Telecommunications Personnel
- 12 Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team Members
- 12 Hostage Negotiation Team Members
- 9 Jail Emergency Tactical Team (JETT) Members
- 14 Civilian Administrative Support Staff
- 1 Crime Stoppers Manager
- 1 Crime Prevention Specialist
- 1 Crime Analyst
- 2 Project Lifesaver Technicians
- 2 Licensed Polygraph Operators
- 1 PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) Coordinator
- 1 Certified Mental Health Counselor
- 1 Information Technology Coordinator
- Joint Terrorism Taskforce
- South Central Regional Drug Taskforce
- DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) Investigative Unit Taskforce
- US Marshal Service Fugitive Apprehension Taskforce
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Michael W. Taylor
Sheriff
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Sheriff's Office
Physical Address
21 N Main Street
Chatham, VA 24531
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 407
Chatham, VA 24531
Emergency: 911
CrimeStoppers Phone: 800-791-0044
Chatham / Danville Area: 434-432-7800
Gretna Area: 434-656-6211
E-911 Communications Center: 434-432-7931
Jail Administration: 434-432-7831
Administrative Hours
Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Who was the 1st sheriff in America?
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William Stone was appointed the first worn sheriff in America by becoming the sheriff in Accomack County, Virginia in 1634.
The 1st sheriffs were appointed to office until a Virginia proclamation of March 13, 1651 required each county to choose a sheriff. The commissioners of Northampton County, Virginia asked its inhabitants to elect its sheriff. The people chose William Waters, who became the first elected sheriff in America. - What are the sheriff's responsibilities in the Commonwealth of Virginia?
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Sheriffs are responsible for a wide range of criminal justice related activities, including:
- Court Services
- Inmate Transportation
- Jail Administration
- Law Enforcement
- When and where can I be fingerprinted?
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You can be fingerprinted between Monday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at:
Moses Building
Second Floor
21 N. Main St.
Chatham, VA 24531 - What form of identification do I need to get fingerprinted?
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You will need a picture identification containing your signature and an expiration date. Such as a driver's license or passport.
- What is the fee to get fingerprinted?
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The fee for fingerprinting services is $5.
Virginia Open Data Portal
Letter From the Sheriff
The purpose of this site is to introduce you to the staff, operations, and resources of our agency. Our number 1 priority is to meet your safety needs in the most efficient and professional way possible. Residents and visitors to Pittsylvania County enjoy a wonderful combination of people, natural beauty, and economic growth.
As the largest county in the commonwealth, we strive each day to meet the emerging needs of our citizenry. We encourage our citizens to become active in their communities and assist us by becoming the eyes and ears for law enforcement.
The Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office is dedicated to providing and promoting a safe, friendly atmosphere for you to live, work, and play. The welfare of all our citizens is of great concern, and we stand ready to respond at any hour to a call for assistance.
Please feel free to contact me any time you might need a question answered or help solving a problem. I look forward to meeting your needs with qualified, professional, responsive law enforcement.
- Michael W. Taylor
Brief History
Pittsylvania County is the largest county in the State of Virginia, which is located in the southern Piedmont area. We consist of approximately 982 square miles. We surround the City of Danville, and border Halifax, Henry, Bedford, and Campbell counties in Virginia, and Caswell and Rockingham counties in North Carolina.
The county was formed in 1767 from Halifax county and assumed its present boundaries in 1777. It was named for William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, a British Statesman.
Available Resources
- 511 Virginia: Your 1-stop resource for how to get moving in Virginia. On this site, you will discover everything you need to know from A to Z about getting from A to B.
- ReadyVirginia - Tornado preparedness and winter weather.
- VineLink: An online resource that allows you to search for information regarding current custody status of inmates serving sentences in Virginia local and regional jails and the Virginia Department of Corrections.
- Virginia Early Childhood Foundation: The Virginia Early Childhood Foundation was founded in 2005 as a public-private partnership with Virginia's Office of Early Childhood Development. Our mission is to provide leadership to foster smart beginnings for all young children in Virginia and through them a vital future for the commonwealth. The foundation provides grants, training, and technical assistance to local and regional smart beginnings initiatives. We also collaborate with state government, the business community, parents, and early childhood leaders to implement long-term strategies fro improving school-readiness for all young children from ages of birth to 5.
- Virginia's Amber Alert System.
- Youth of Virginia Speak Out About Traffic Safety: Youth leadership organization focused on saving the lives of teenage drivers.