The Vestavia Hills Police Department preserves human lives and property, protects public peace and the rights of citizens, prevents crime and disorder and enforces federal laws. It handles issues related to drug abuse, animal control, fingerprinting, sexual offenses, shoplifting, identity theft, and traffic and parking law enforcement. The Vestavia Hills Police Department supports Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.), which is an international education program that seeks to prevent the usage of illegal drugs, gang activities and violent behavior. The department maintains a records division that manages and processes department reports, requests, permits, registrations and identification documents. The Vestavia Hills Police Department provides various online crime statistics and maps, as well as crime reporting applications.