Alexandria Police Department

The Alexandria Police Department (APD) is the primary law enforcement agency servicing 155,810[2] people within 15.4 square miles (40 km2) of jurisdiction within Alexandria, Virginia. The APD has been internationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) since 1986, and was re-accredited in 1991, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016.[3] The APD has 315 sworn officers and 152 civilian employees. New officers are trained at the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy.[4]

Alexandria Police Department
Common nameAlexandria Police
AbbreviationAPD
Agency overview
Formed1870
Employees475
Volunteers80[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionAlexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Map of Alexandria Police Department's jurisdiction.
Size15.4 square miles (40 km2)
Population155,810
Legal jurisdictionAlexandria, Virginia
Governing bodyCity
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersAlexandria, Virginia
Police Officers323
Civilian employees152
Agency executive
Website
alexandriava.gov/police

Jurisdiction

City of Alexandria police officers have jurisdiction of Virginian crimes and crimes legislated by the City of Alexandria local government.[5] Physical jurisdiction extends 1 mile into neighboring jurisdictions of Arlington County and Fairfax County.[6]

History
An Alexandrian police cruiser
An APD Dodge Charger

Night watchmen and constables were employed by the city since 1797 with the starting pay of $150 dollars annually.[7]

The Alexandria Police Department was founded on July 15, 1870. When the city authorized a formal police department, the board of police elected a captain, a lieutenant, and 19 patrolmen. All officers were issued star-shaped tin badges, but they had to supply their own uniforms and guns.[7]

In 1918, the Alexandria Police Department founded the Motor Unit with the purchase of one Harley-Davidson motorcycle for use in answering emergency calls.[8]

On September 11, 2001 the Alexandria Police Department responded to the Pentagon in response to the September 11 attacks as mutual aid to support the Arlington County Police Department, the jurisdiction in which the attacks occurred.[9]

Chief David P. Baker (appointed in 2006) was arrested on July 25, 2009 for drunk driving after crashing his official vehicle in neighboring Arlington County, Virginia.[10] Baker resigned on July 28[10] and was replaced by Deputy Chief Earl L. Cook.[11] On October 1, 2016 Chief Earl Cook retired after 37 years and Deputy Chief David Huchler was appointed Interim Chief of Police while the IACP searched for a replacement.[12] On January 16 Michael L. Brown, former Chief of Police for the California Highway Patrol was announced as the successor to Earl Cook.

The department responded to shots fired on June 14, 2017 to a quiet Del Ray neighborhood. Police Officers from both Alexandria and the US Capital Police Department shot and killed James Hodgkinson after a 10 minute gun battle with the assailant, an event that became known as the congressional baseball shooting. Hodgkinson was attempting to kill Republican congressmen who were practicing on the Monroe Street baseball field for the annual Congressional Baseball Game for Charity.

Three officers from the Alexandria Police Department received the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor on July 27, 2017, in recognition of their heroism during the June 14 shooting incident at Eugene Simpson Stadium Park.[13] The Medal of Valor is the highest decoration for bravery exhibited by public safety officers in the United States.

Organization

Field Operations Bureau

The Field Operations Bureau is responsible for patrolling neighborhoods and responding to 9-1-1 calls. They also provide traffic enforcement and conduct preliminary investigations of crimes.[14]

Patrol Sectors:

  • Patrol Sector 1 - Old Town
  • Patrol Sector 2 - Del Ray/Arlandria
  • Patrol Sector 3 - West End

Patrol Support

  • Community Oriented Policing Section (COPS)
  • Special Operations Team (SOT)
  • K-9
  • Motors
  • School Resource Officers (SRO)
  • Parking Enforcement
  • School Crossing Guards
  • Hack Inspector
  • Office of Homeland Security and Operational Preparedness (HS/OP)

HS/OP is responsible for the traditional Homeland Security functions to include: maintaining a liaison with federal, state, local and military terrorism/intelligence counterparts; partnership in the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Joint Terrorism Task Force, and review and local follow-up investigations of related police reports and bulletins regarding international or domestic terrorism matters.[15]

Investigative Services Bureau

The Investigations Bureau investigates major crimes, including allegations of police misconduct.[1] The bureau has 91 employees and 65 to 80 volunteers.[16]

Sections:

  • Criminal Investigation Section
  • Crime Scene Investigation Section
  • Vice Narcotics Section
  • Media Services Unit
  • Internal Investigations

Administrative Services Bureau

The Administrative Services Bureau includes the following division and units:

  • Technology, Data and Analysis Division
  • Crime Analysis Unit
  • Personnel and Training
  • Facilities Management[17]

Rank structure, insignia and uniform

These are the current ranks of the Alexandria Police Department:

Title Insignia Uniform Badge Style
Chief of Police
White shirt, blue pants Gold badge
Assistant Chief of Police
White shirt, blue pants Gold badge
Deputy Chief of Police
White shirt, blue pants Gold badge
Captain
White shirt, blue pants Gold badge
Lieutenant
White shirt, blue pants Gold badge
Sergeant
Gray shirt, blue pants Gold badge
Police officer
No Insignia
 Gray shirt, blue pants Silver badge
Recruit officer
No Insignia
 Navy blue shirt, navy blue pants None

Recruit officer is the initial rank of oncoming Alexandria Police Officer, held while undergoing training at the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy. Upon graduation from the academy Recruit officers are appointed to the rank of Police Officer and enter the Police Training Officer Program.

APD adopts a rank differentiation method via the uniforms worn. Police Officer 1 up through the rank of Police Officer 4 wear gray shirts and silver badges with 'A.P.D.' insignia pinned on each side of the collar and silver cap plates. Sergeants also wear the same gray shirt but they wear gold badges, gold collar insignia, and gold cap plates instead of silver.

Higher-ranking officers (Lieutenant and above) wear white shirts with gold badges with gold 'A.P.D.' insignia pinned on each side of the collar. Their insignia of rank is displayed on the shoulder epaulettes of the uniform (as in the military). The badges and cap plates for higher-ranking officers are gold and engraved with the wearers rank-title.

Fallen officers

Since the establishment of the Alexandria Police Department, 17 officers have died in the line of duty.[18]

Officer Date of Death Details
Constable Elijah Chenault
Monday, August 4, 1823
 Assault
Watchman Gerrard Arnold
Sunday, September 9, 1827
 Assault
Private Julian F. Arnold
Sunday, May 15, 1887
 Gunfire
Private George W. Crump
Thursday, December 28, 1893
 Gunfire (Accidental)
Private Walker W. Campbell
Sunday, February 16, 1919
 Gunfire
Sergeant Elton B. Hummer
Saturday, August 18, 1928
 Gunfire
Sergeant Charles R. Mcclary
Thursday, June 20, 1929
 Gunfire
Private Whitfield W. Lipscombe
Thursday, September 4, 1930
 Automobile accident
Private August Perault Pierce
Sunday, September 7, 1930
 Gunfire
Corporal Clarence J. Mcclary
Sunday, March 17, 1935
 Gunfire
Private Robert B. Harris
Saturday, September 11, 1948
 Gunfire
Private Bobby G. Padgett
Wednesday, February 4, 1959
 Gunfire
Deputy Inspector James W. Baber
Friday, October 19, 1962
 Heart attack
Private Eugene Yoakum
Sunday, September 27, 1964
 Gunfire
Detective Conrad Lee Birney
Wednesday, December 27, 1972
 Gunfire
Corporal Charles William Hill
Wednesday, March 22, 1989
 Gunfire
Sergeant Morton "Morty" Ford
Saturday, June 18, 2011
 Duty related illness

See also

References
  1. "Investigations Bureau". Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  2. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Alexandria city, Virginia (County); UNITED STATES". Census Bureau QuickFacts. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  3. "CALEA Client Database". 15 June 2016. Archived from the original on 30 September 2010. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  4. Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy. "A Message from the Executive Director". Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  5. "Municode Library". library.municode.com. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  6. "§ 19.2-250. How far jurisdiction of corporate authorities extends". law.lis.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2019-01-21.
  7. Alexandria Police Association (2006). Alexandria Police Department. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 9780738543406.
  8. Hildebrandt, Ashley. "Alexandria Police Department Celebrates 90th Anniversity (sic)". Police Motor Units. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  9. "Sept. 11, 2001: Del Ray Remembers". Del Ray, VA Patch. 2011-09-01. Retrieved 2018-12-31.
  10. The Washington Times (28 July 2009). "Alexandria police chief retires after DUI arrest". The Washington Times. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  11. Allison Klein (12 September 2009). "Onetime Titan is Now Chief of Alexandria's Police Department". The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
  12. "Chief Cook Retires | Recent News". alexandriapolicefoundation.org. Retrieved 2016-11-05.
  13. "Officers who responded to Alexandria baseball shooting receive Medal of Valor". Washington Post. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  14. Alexandria Police Department (23 February 2010). "Patrol Operations Bureau". Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  15. "Operations Support Bureau". Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  16. Alexandria Police Department (26 February 2010). "Investigations Bureau". Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  17. Alexandria Police Department (23 November 2009). "Administrative Services Bureau". Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  18. "Alexandria Police Department, VA". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2 August 2018.
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