Pennington Gap Police Department

08/18/2026

06/30/2026

☀️ EXTREME HEAT SAFETY REMINDER FROM THE PENNINGTON GAP POLICE DEPARTMENT ☀️

The National Weather Service is forecasting dangerously high temperatures over the coming days. We encourage everyone to take extra precautions to protect not only yourselves, but also your pets.

🐾 Ensure your pets have access to plenty of fresh, cool water at all times.
🐾 If your pet is outdoors, provide adequate shade and shelter from the sun.
🐾 Limit walks and outdoor activity to the early morning or late evening when temperatures are lower.
🐾 Remember that asphalt and concrete can become hot enough to burn your pet's paws. If you must walk your dog during the day, stay on grassy areas whenever possible or use protective paw coverings.
🐾 Never leave a child or pet unattended inside a parked vehicle. Even with the windows cracked, temperatures inside a vehicle can become deadly within minutes.

Watch for signs of heat-related illness in your pets, including excessive panting, drooling, weakness, vomiting, difficulty walking, or collapse. If you observe any of these symptoms, move your pet to a cool location immediately and seek veterinary care.

Virginia law requires owners to provide companion animals with adequate care, including sufficient food, water, shelter, and protection from extreme weather conditions. Failing to do so may result in criminal charges under Virginia's animal welfare laws.

Let's all do our part to keep our families, including our four-legged family members, safe during this period of extreme heat.

If you observe an animal in immediate distress due to the heat, please contact the Pennington Gap Police Department or Lee County Sheriff's Office as soon as possible.

Stay safe, stay hydrated, and look out for one another.
Pennington Gap Police Department

05/13/2026

We would like to congratulate Chief Lawson for being selected as the new Vice-President of the Southwest Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police.
Also congratulations to Chief Mullins and Chief McGlothlin on their appointments.

Pictured:

Travis Mullins- President (Coeburn PD)
Matt Lawson- Vice-President (Pennington PD)
Seth McGlothlin- Secretary (Grundy PD)

05/05/2026

🚧 Traffic Advisory – Annual Soap Box Derby 🚧

The Town of Pennington Gap will be hosting our Annual Soap Box Derby this Saturday, May 9, 2026. We are excited to see the community come out and support this great event.

Please be advised that road closures will be in effect from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the event area. A map showing the closed roads and designated detour routes is attached to this post.

We ask all residents and visitors to:

-Plan travel accordingly during these hours
-Follow posted detour signs
-Use caution when driving near the event area

Thank you for your cooperation as we work to keep everyone safe while enjoying this community tradition.

If you have any questions, please contact the Pennington Gap Police Department.

04/14/2026

As we get into ball season and see more activity at Leeman Field, we want to take a moment to address parking.

We’re glad to see the community out enjoying the fields, walking trail, and facilities, that’s what it’s here for. With that said, we’ve had ongoing issues with vehicles being parked on the walking trail and in areas clearly marked as no parking zones.

The area highlighted in red is the walking trail and is not a parking area. Vehicles parked there create safety concerns for pedestrians. Any vehicles parked in this area will be subject to citation.

The areas highlighted in green are approved parking areas, and we ask everyone to use those spaces when attending games and events.

We’re not looking to write tickets, we’re looking to keep everyone safe and make sure the facilities can be enjoyed by all. A little extra attention when parking goes a long way.

We appreciate everyone’s cooperation and hope you enjoy the season.

04/02/2026

Not every call we respond to is lights and sirens, but every call matters.

Yesterday, we were called about a bird that was stuck in fishing line and hanging from a tree. With help from the Pennington Gap Fire Department, we were able to get the bird safely down, remove the line, and even take out a lure that was stuck in it.

The bird was then transported to a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility where it will receive proper care.

We may not have been chasing bad guys on this one, but we’re always ready to help, whether it’s a person or even a bird in our community.

Big thanks to the fire department for the teamwork.

And as a reminder, please properly dispose of fishing line and tackle. Something that seems small can do a lot of harm to wildlife.