This year, the Prince William County Police Department turns 50 years old, and it is remembering its history in a series of social media posts.

Today, the department remembers the county’s first police chief George T. Owens.

There have been four department chiefs since its founding, with current chief Barry Barnard being the fourth to lead the department. He was promoted to the rank of chief in 2016.

From the police department website | The mission of the Prince William County Police Department is to enhance the quality of life of our residents by providing police services through shared responsibility with the public. The more than 845 members of this department – sworn and civilian – accomplish our mission by embodying our values in both our professional and personal lives, and through accountability to our citizens.

We believe that integrity is the basis of public trust, and that honesty and equality in delivery of police services is essential. This has been a hallmark of our Department since its inception and we are proud of our standing in the community.