Fairfax County Board appoints new police chief

Kevin Davis

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on April 23 appointed Kevin Davis as chief of the Fairfax County Police Department. 

Davis served as the City of Baltimore’s police commissioner from 2015 to 2018. He was previously chief of police of Anne Arundel County, Md. (2013-14) and assistant chief of the Prince George’s County, Md., police department (1992-2013). 

Most recently he has worked as director of consulting services for GardaWorld, a privately owned security company based in Canada.

Former FCPD Chief Edwin Roessler retired in February. Deputy County Executive for Public Safety Dave Rohrer has been acting as interim chief. 

Davis starts the job May 3. He will receive an annual salary of $215,000.

“As this nation looks to transform policing to make the community safer for everyone, we have the opportunity for a fresh perspective to further our work on police reform in Fairfax County,” said Board of Supervisors Chair Jeffrey McKay. 

“After thorough interviews, the entire board is confident that Kevin will continue Fairfax’s work on police reform, build on the deep community involvement and relationships with stakeholders, and improve morale within the police department,” McKay said. “He is recognized across the region as a leader in police reform, has a strong reputation, and is well-respected in the communities he has served.” 

Related story: Fairfax County police chief announces retirement

He worked to build trust with the community and foster transparency by providing information about the department’s internal policies and all police-involved shootings. He also expanded the department’s police chaplain program, which trained more than 100 faith community leaders to serve as ambassadors in the community.

The mayor of Baltimore at the time, Catherine Pugh, fired Davis in 2018, citing his failure to stop a surging crime rate, the Baltimore Sun reported.

While serving Anne Arundel County, Davis was the first chief in Maryland to require police officers to train for, carry, and administer naloxone to individuals suffering from drug overdoses. He created a Crisis Intervention Team, including mental health professionals, to respond to calls for service where mental illness was a factor.

“Following a thorough search process and input from the community, we were fortunate to have many excellent candidates to consider. There are few positions so vital to our community, and Kevin brings leadership, depth of experience, and vision to the role,” said County Executive Bryan Hill. 

Davis is an adjunct professor at American University and a lecturer at Catholic University of America. He was recently appointed to a four-year term on Maryland’s Commission on Judicial Disabilities, an independent body that hears complaints against judges. He also was a member of the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board in Maryland.

Davis has a master’s degree in management from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in English from Towson University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the FBI National Executive Institute.