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International Police Association
United States Section
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originally formed as
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Region
62 is located in Northern Virginia. It is comprised of and serves
members from a variety of jurisdictions, agencies, and departments
from
throughout the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. area, including all areas,
cities, and counties throughout Northern Virginia,
Washington D.C., and surrounding jurisdictions in
Maryland and West Virginia. |
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Attention: Potential Visitors:
Region 62
is now utilizing a
Visitor Assistance Team to coordinate
arrangements and to assist IPA visitors to our region.
Obviously, just like every other region and every other member
country, we must depend upon the availability of volunteer
members of our region. We try our best to assist our IPA
visitors and to meet their needs wherever and whenever we can, but
our resources are limited.
Because of our
location with its proximity to the Nations Capitol, we frequently
receive many visitors from all over the world.
Unfortunately, some have proven to have
major expectations that were unrealistic.
You need to be
aware that we may not be able to
honor all
requests or to provide all services requested or desired.
All potential visitors are requested to read the information on this
page. You need to contact our
Visitor Assistance Team (IPA62visitor@gmai.com) as
early as possible before you travel and include ALL pertinent
and relevant information. We will need the exact dates that
you will be here, when you will arrive and leave, ALL travel
information, to include method of travel, e.g., flight numbers,
arrival times, which airports - we have three major ones that
serve this area so you must be very specific. What is your
planned
itinerary?
Be exact.
Will you be renting a car? What do you require? What do
you hope to see? What would you like our region to do or
provide for you? Please follow this
link then view the basic information
(found at the
bottom of the page) that you need to provide in
order for us to even begin to process your request in order to properly assist you.
Please realize that there are just some things, visits, and tours that cannot be
arranged.
Most government buildings, federal law enforcement agencies, the
White House, the FBI, and many others are now "off limits".
They do NOT offer tours and the director and the president are not
available for "meet and greet". Most law enforcement agencies in
this area (and there are many) are often very busy with many
scheduled events
and activities that go on daily in this region. Most do not open their doors
for tours or "ride-alongs". Most departments and agencies, and
their facilities are not available for viewing, touring, nor are
they generally open to the public, or to groups, or even to other
visiting law enforcement officers. It is especially hard to
arrange activities on Saturdays, Sundays, holidays, or after normal
duty hours (such as in the evenings). This is not to say
that all law enforcement activities and/or agencies in the area are
uncooperative. Many are just very busy and their special units
are overwhelmed with many requests. Some activities and events
may be available at certain times. The more lead time that we
are provided, the better the chances.
While
we will always do our best to assist you, we can make no up-front
promises. Much will depend on exactly what
is needed, when and where it is needed, and if we have
anyone available at that particular time.
A member of our
Visitor Assistance Team will
respond back to your email just as soon as possible.
It is best if we have as much information available, so be as
specific with your requests as possible. Be flexible, and try
to be as self sufficient as possible.
We have tried to include some helpful information and resources on
this page for your assistance.
TRAVEL
REQUEST FORMS & VALID, CURRENT IPA
IDENTIFICATION ARE REQUIRED.
ALL visitors need to include a copy of their valid and current IPA identification
card with their request.
(This measure is meant to provides a modicum of protection for all
members involved.)
IPA MEMBERS
VISITING FROM OUTSIDE of the UNITED STATES.
ALL visitors
from outside of the United States MUST use the approved IPA
travel request forms
accompanied by a photo copy of their valid and current IPA identification
card. These
should be submitted through their appropriate
travel or
region/section
secretaries to R 62 VAT. (This
is basically the very same procedure that must be followed by any
[every]
U.S. IPA member seeking to travel via IPA contact to any country outside
of the U.S.A. For further details you may view the
official U. S. Section IPA travel requirements and instructions at:
http://www.ipa-usa.org/travel.html.
Regional
Travel Information |
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Virginia is a state steeped in history. Before
the arrival of the Europeans, Chief Powhatan ruled over the untamed
land. Chief Powhatan
fathered one of Virginia's more famous historical
figures, Pocahontas. The
first permanent English settlement in
America, at
Jamestown
in 1607, set the stage for the
taming of the wilderness.
Virginia
played a central role during the American Revolution, from Patrick
Henry's fiery oration "Give me liberty or give me death", to
the eventual surrender of Lord Cornwallis to
Washington
at
Yorktown. During the Civil War,
Virginia
saw more battles fought on her
soil than any other state. Many
of these battlegrounds are now national historic sites, and are visited
by thousands of tourists annually.
Virginia
also holds the distinction of being the birthplace of eight
U.S.
Presidents.
It
has been said that
Virginia's history is
America's history! From
colonial
Williamsburg, the
Jamestown
Settlement, and numerous other
historic towns such as
Fredericksburg, Manassas, Front Royal,
Winchester, and
Richmond, the
Old
Dominion
State
contains many unique and
picturesque areas. Numerous
recreational facilities, outstanding state parks, and historical and
cultural locations abound from the Shenandoah Valley
to Virginia Beach.
Indeed,
Virginia
does have it all!
Arlington National Cemetery with its
Tomb of the
Unknowns,
Fort
Myer, the
Pentagon,
Fort Belvoir, the
USMC War Memorial - Iwo
Jima statue, and
Mount Vernon are among some of the many important
military facilities and monuments located within the region.
Other popular attractions include
Old
Towne Alexandria,
Great
Falls, Gunston Hall, historic
Oatlands, and the
Sully historical site in
Chantilly.
The
Quantico Marine Corps
Base, the
National Museum of the Marine Corps,
the
FBI Academy,
Manassas National
Battlefields,
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military
Park are also located nearby.
Colonial
Williamsburg,
Yorktown,
Norfolk,
Hampton
Roads, and
Virginia Beach are
only a short ride away.
Virginia
has a very good tourist board with lots of information at:
http://www.virginia.org/home.asp.
Also
check the Arlington Convention & Visitors Service at:
http://www.stayarlington.com/index.cfm/1537
and the Fairfax County Visitors Bureau: http://www.visitfairfax.org/.
Visit
the Washington, D.C. Convention and Tourism site at:
http://www.washington.org/.
This site will give you a great idea of what to see and do while in the
city. Two additional sites that offer additional valuable
information about the area are: Capitol Visitor Center: http://www.capitolvisitorcenter.org/,
and Capitol Region USA:
http://www.capitalregionusa.org/.
Please
keep in mind that this area attracts many visitors and tourists.
The metropolitan area is particularly very busy. Security concerns
in recent years have closed many of the National attractions.
Security is very tight! We must ask all our visitors to
realize that many
things have changed.
A lot of previously open areas are now closed. Despite the numerous collective connections and contacts of our members
we can NO longer arrange for special or behind-the-scenes tours
of the places and locations where our distinguished IPA visitors were
once welcomed. There are NO exceptions or arrangements to be made.
Just like the Edsel and Corvair autos of an
earlier (and
gentler) era
these are a thing
of the past. This definitely includes all inside the grounds
White House tours.
The FBI tours have
been suspended indefinitely. Actually, practically all of the
laboratory work and examinations that were once an important part of the
FBI tour have moved to other locations outside of the D.C. area.
These locations, just like the FBI Academy are part of very high
security complexes. They do not cater to visitors at all. If
you do not work there, or are not cleared, (vetted) and registered to be
attending a scheduled course of instruction on those facilities, you
will not be admitted!
There are still
many other areas to visit; museums, galleries, the
Smithsonian, the
Air
and Space Museum, the National Zoo, the
National
Arboretum,
and a host of
other equally interesting spots. Part of the
U.S. Capitol is open
to visitors as are certain other
areas of the
government.
There are some public tours (at certain
times) for some sites. Some require special advance requests (such as a limited area public tour
of the
White
House) but
most of these
will usually require waiting in lines for tickets and then for admission
to the escorted tour which will visit a very limited area.
A
number of our recent visitors have enjoyed visiting the
Newseum and
the International Spy Museum.
You need to plan your trip as far ahead as
possible and to remain flexible as things are constantly changing.
Far too many areas are now restricted or closed completely, and they are
just not set up to make exceptions for visiting law enforcement
officers. You might also be interested in visiting the National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial. Located at
Judiciary Square, in the 400 block of E Street, NW. Check out the
links for some of the related sites that are mentioned on our
Police Week
page.
Here is
an insider tip: Great and rather unique White House
souvenirs
and memorabilia (think WH, Air Force 1, Presidential - jackets, shirts, caps,
pins, emblems and much more) can be found at
the White House
Gift Shop. Operated by the Secret Service Uniformed Division
Benefit Fund, it is located in the complex of shops found inside the
National Press Building, 529 14th Street NW, about a block from the
White House. You can also find them on-line, at
http://www.whitehousegiftshop.com/index.shtml, where you can
also read more about the White House, the USSS-UD history, and/or peruse
their catalogue.
Lodging
and transportation:
While
Region
62 (like other U.S.
regions) does not have an IPA house, we are, on occasion, able to arrange
for member hosting. This is a favored tourist venue and hotels are rather expensive
(usually way more than $100 per night) throughout the
area. It is generally
less expensive to stay outside of the Capitol Beltway (route 495) area. There are
several hotels that have offered an IPA discount, corporate rate,
government rate, or police rate. These rates are usually available
except
for periods that the hotel
anticipates
being sold out.
Arrangements
should always be made
in advance with the hotel.
A
local hotel advertises in the National
Reporter.
Comfort Inn Tyson Corner. 1587 Spring Hill
Road, Vienna, VA 22182. (703) 448-8020. (Ask for the police
rate.)
Traffic
and parking in the area are always a hassle.
The use of public transportation is
strongly advised. (I
cannot emphasize this enough.) One of the better ways to explore
the Washington area (and to see more sights) is by Tourmobile with its easy get on and off stops at all attractions. More
information at: http://www.tourmobile.com/.
Another good way to get around is by Metrorail and Metrobus:
http://www.wmata.com/. When you factor in the gasoline
prices, and the cost of parking meters
($3.00 per hour in some
areas - when a vacant space can be found) you may
understand why alternative transportation is so strongly suggested.
Current
gasoline prices in Virginia may be found at
VirginiaGasPrices.
IPA
members
receive
discount rates on Avis Car Rentals using the discount # T621000.
Alamo Car Rental offers a discount using I.D. # 93891, Rate code
BY. Enterprise
Car Rental frequently honor their corporate rate to IPA members.
Three
major airports serve the Metropolitan Washington D.C. area:
National/Ronald
Reagan -
DCA - Information.
(Directions,
Maps, Transportation, etcetera)
Dulles International -
IAD -
Information.
Baltimore-Washington
- BWI - Information.
The
metropolitan area of Washington experiences all four seasons of weather.
Warm weather usually prevails from April until as late as October.
The summer can be hot and is
usually quite humid.
Spring and Fall are very good times to visit. Winters are fairly short here,
usually with more rain than snow.
But be forewarned, we do have the occasional blizzards and heavy
snowfalls that will close everything down for a few days. Always
be prepared for change. If you are planning a visit to the area, you may check the weather at
cnn.com/weather
forecast
or
weather.com/outlook.
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-
Links,
Maps, and still More places to visit - |
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Detailed
information about various regions and attractions in Virginia
may be found at:
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From
our locale in Northern Virginia, there
are many other nearby places that are great to visit. They are heartily recommended
as a good place to visit, or to even spend a night or more.
Skyline
Drive running along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains (map)
through Shenandoah National Park
provides a truly memorable place to visit. Be advised there is a 35
mile per hour speed limit to allow drivers the opportunity to truly enjoy the ride, and helps to ensure the safety of wildlife along the road.
(It does seem to be slow at times.) Be sure to allow enough time for your travel and visit.
There is lodging available at several locations along the
drive. Your webmaster has stayed at all of the various
locations over the years and can recommend them. Skyland (mile 41.7) has guest rooms, rustic cabins, multi-unit lodges, and modern suites.
Big Meadows Lodge (milepost 51) has rooms in the main lodge; additional rooms in rustic cabins, multi-unit lodges, and modern suites.
Lewis Mountain Cabins (mile 57.5) has several rustic, furnished cabins with private baths and outdoor grill areas.
More
information and
reservations.
The
Blue Ridge
Parkway begins where the Skyline Drive ends and continues
through Virginia and into North Carolina, connecting the Shenandoah and Great Smoky
Mountain ranges. One of my most favorite spots has long
been the
Peaks
of Otter at milepost 86. The Peaks of Otter
Lodge and Restaurant
is a great place to relax and unwind. I have visited
there during all of the seasons, for about the past 45 or so
years and have always enjoyed the area.
The
Eastern
Shore of Virginia, on the southern tip of the DelMarVa
[Delaware,
Maryland, and Virginia] peninsula is
another great trip to take. Fishing and farming
communities, National Wildlife Refuge, Onancock and the ferry to
Tangier Island, Chincoteague - home of the wild pony
round-up, and NASA visitor center. Not to be missed
is the almost 18 mile long
Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel running
from Cape Charles to the Virginia Beach and Norfolk areas.
The
Baltimore Inner
Harbor area is always great for a visit. Much to do
and see. Great places to eat. While there, be sure to
also visit Fells Point.
Another
great spot for a visit is
Solomons
Island, MD. Scenic, good dining, and the
Calvert Marine Museum
is very interesting. Don't miss the one hour harbor tour
on the historic
bugeye
Wm. B. Tennison, the oldest passenger carrying vessel on the
bay.
St.
Michaels, MD is yet another special spot on the water.
Sightseeing, dining, antiques, and maritime activities.
Several types of water cruises are available departing from the
maritime
museum dock.
Yet
another historic and water venue is
Annapolis.
Home of the U.S. Naval Academy.
A variety of shops and stores. The waterfront City Dock
offers a variety of
cruise
tours of varying lengths and prices. There is
something for everyone here.
Driving on any of the
designated
Virginia Byways
typically provides
a pleasurable and scenic diversion from the hustle of freeways
expressways and interstate highways. There are several in
Northern Virginia, and many others throughout the state. I
frequently drive them, and enjoy them very much.
More
D.C.
Metropolitan Area attractions (and contact information) may be found here:
Attractions
A
detailed map of Washington, D. C. plus an overview map of the Washington
Metropolitan Area that you can customize to your own needs may be found
at this
link.
Fast
Facts about getting around in Washington, D.C. plus
information for international travelers and for disabled travelers may
be found at this
link.
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