Department of Conservation and Recreation
Conserve. Protect. Enjoy.
Department of Conservation and Recreation
The Office of the Chief consists of the senior leadership and administration within the Office of Public Safety and Law Enforcement and operations involving the Joint Communications Center.
Office of Public Safety and Law Enforcement
Department of Conservation and Recreation
600 East Main Street, 16th Floor
Richmond, VA 23219
Office: (804) 887-7314
pslechief@dcr.virginia.gov
Chief of Public Safety and Law Enforcement
Scott A. Vantrease
Scott A. Vantrease was sworn in as Chief of Public Safety and Law Enforcement in April 2021. With more than 30 years of experience, Chief Vantrease has held positions in various traditional and non-traditional law enforcement agencies.
Deputy Chief of Public Safety and Law Enforcement
Charles A. Conner
Charles A. Conner currently serves as Deputy Chief of Public Safety and Law Enforcement. His career in law enforcement dates back over 18 years, and his experience with the DCR and Virginia State Parks began as a summer employee in 1990 at Douthat State Park.
Deputy Chief of Public Safety and Law Enforcement
Chris Doss
Chris Doss currently serves as Deputy Chief of Public Safety and Law Enforcement. He was the Park Manager/Law Enforcement Ranger at Occoneechee State Park and the Law Enforcement Administrative Coordinator, leading the department’s efforts in accreditation. Chris has been with DCR since 1993.
Wherever possible, DCR has leveraged joint resources in fulfilling its mission while ensuring fiscal responsibility for the Commonwealth. No better example exists than the joint communications center shared with the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). Started in 2018 to improve officer safety while improving the efficiency and functionality of their communications, records and mapping processes, this communications center operates 24/7 across the Commonwealth for both agencies sharing a unified Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and Report Management System (RMS).
The Joint Communications Center is available 24 hours a day
1-866-PARKS-911
(804) 367-5402
