Tag: police
Cop school: The SWAT team
Sgt. Reiff describes the SWAT team uniform If your neighborhood is swarming with police officers running around in heavy jumpsuits and helmets, chances are there’s a SWAT team operation in progress. They could be dealing with a barricade situation, home invasion, or some other type of tactical mission. The officers won’t have time to chat … Continued
Cop school: Animal Services
Fairfax County has a pilot program to test the 4-poster system for combating deer ticks that spread Lyme disease. [photo from 21st Century Deer Management.] The work of the Fairfax County Police Department isn’t all about chasing bad guys; sometimes it’s about chasing a rabid raccoon or catching an aggressive dog. That’s because a key … Continued
Cop school: the Helicopter Division
You might have heard a big commotion in Lincolnia about a week ago. A drunk driver crashed an SUV into the gas pumps at the Sunoco station on Little River Turnpike and Beauregard Street and fled the scene. She was eventually located and arrested for hit-and-run among other charges. “Fairfax 1,” the Fairfax County Police … Continued
Cop school: Robberies take a huge toll on victims
The BB&T Bank on Backlick Road in Annandale was robbed twice in 2011 A chilling video from a check cashing store in Annandale a few months ago shows a man walking in on a Saturday morning and pulling out a handgun. He takes a customer and her child into the manager’s office. Two women clerks, … Continued
Cop school: Gangs still pose a threat in FXCO
The following report about gangs in Fairfax County is based on a presentation by a police detective in the gang unit at the April 5 session of the Citizens Police Academy. The detective often works undercover so he prefers to remain anonymous. Gang graffiti in Fairfax County “The gang problem is not as bad as … Continued
Cop school: Probable cause, reasonable suspicion, and the use of force
The following report covers one of the presentations during the fifth week of the Spring 2012 session of the Fairfax County Citizens Police Academy, which took place at the West Springfield Police Station. Day Imagine a local resident sees a youth with a backpack and flashlight looking into cars in the middle of the night … Continued
Police address community concerns on assaults
Hill About 120 people came to a community meeting Monday evening at Robinson Secondary School to learn more about how the police are responding to two recent sexual assaults in Fairfax and how to avoid being a victim of a similar attack. Sgt. R.M. Thiel of the West Springfield Police Station outlined the basic facts … Continued
Uptick in burglaries reported in Mason
There has been an increase in residential burglaries throughout the Mason District in recent weeks, reports Brendan T. Murphy, crime prevention officer in the Mason District Police Station. “Most of them have been during the day, and items like electronics and jewelry seem to be the goodies of choice,” he says. The Police Department provides free … Continued
Despite complaints, ‘extreme yard sales’ continue on Braddock Road
Cars for sale at 4508 Braddock Road Mason District resident Richard C. Zambito is so fed up with his neighbors on Braddock Road trying to sell cars and appliances on their front yard, he has made it his mission to get the county to shut down these illegal commercial operations. Zambito, vice president of the … Continued
Police exonerated in dog shooting
The Fairfax County police officer who shot a dog in the Parklawn community in the Mason District Sept. 2, 2011, has been totally exonerated, says Capt. Ed O’Carroll, commander of the investigations division at the Fairfax County Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau. Many local residents expressed sympathy for Tommy Tomlo, and his dog, Crash, and … Continued
Apparent murder suicide under investigation
3800 Forest Grove Drive UPDATED March 28: Mason District police are investigating an apparent homicide/suicide that occurred in the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 27. The victims were identified as John Jackson, age 40, a former sergeant in the Fairfax County police force and, his 13-year-old daughter, Alexis Jackson, a student at Glasgow Middle … Continued
Cop school: The jail tour
The Adult Detention Center in Fairfax [No photos allowed inside.] The young women were sitting on the floor playing cards and laughing. They looked like they didn’t have a care in the world. But they weren’t at a slumber party—they were doing time at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center (ADC). The field trip to … Continued
Cop school: Life on patrol
Kottemann Greg Kottemann wanted to be police officer since he was a child, and his enthusiasm for the job was clear, as he offered a close-up look at the life of a patrol officer during last week’s session of the Citizens Police Academy at the Mount Vernon District Police Station. Kottemann, a master police officer … Continued
Cop school: Domestic violence
Week 3 of the Fairfax County Citizens Police Academy included several presentations at the Mount Vernon Police Station. Heath and Wallace “My dad is drunk. He’s kicking my mom in the head,” said the 14-year-old girl on the 911 call, as her younger sister was screaming in the background. The police dispatcher helped the girl remain … Continued
Cop school: The 911 call center
My second class of the Fairfax County Citizens Police Academy, at the McConnell Public Safety and Transportation Operations Center in Fairfax, featured presentations on the 911 call center and the forensics lab. I already wrote about the Police Department’s crime scene investigations facility in December, so I’ll just report on the 911 operations here. About … Continued