On Tuesday night, Police Chief Tarrick McGuire unveiled blueprints for the creation of the Alexandria Police Department’s new public safety plan.
McGuire told City Council the plan will be developed over the next year, and it includes the deployment of officers to crime hotspots identified by the city’s crime data. He said the plan is organized around five pillars — geographical policing and accountability, building relationships in the community, evidence-based strategies and enforcement, assessing crime data and using technology to reduce and enforce crime.
“It’s really exciting to hear more about the direction where we’re headed,” Mayor Alyia Gaskins told McGuire.
McGuire said that a series of community listening sessions in 2024 and 2025 revealed that the community wants a transparent department, reduced crime and safer roadways. He also said that APD has the responsibility to inform the public about crimes happening in the city and will only keep information on crime events private if there’s a threat to the public or it compromises an investigation.
“As far as public communication, especially as it relates to major crime and major issues, we have [a] responsibility to let the public know not only what happened but also the outcomes,” McGuire said. “I can tell you that when those events happen, I, as police chief, have done more press conferences here within the city than our desire to do so, but I think it’s important that number one, we get it out there, so the media is a resource for that.”
McGuire most recently held a press conference after APD officers fatally shot a suspect on May 18. The suspect allegedly shot and killed a woman in an apartment on Canterbury Square and then charged at police, McGuire said. APD has not released the names of the suspect or victim, and has not answered any other questions related to the incident.
APD is also working on data collection with research scientist Robin Engel of Ohio State University, who will make public-facing reports for the department over the next year.
Assistant Police Chief Jason North said that the department responded to 67,000 calls for service in 2025, and that APD needs to realign its resources. He also said that assigning officers to specific beats creates accountability for officers to notice and target recurring public safety issues.
“We must understand where demand is occurring, what issues are driving it, and what resources are needed to address those issues effectively,” North said. “In simple terms, APD’s goal is to put the right resources in the right places with officers who know their area, understand the issues, and are accountable for helping to solve those problems.”
Assistant Chief Mike May said that APD will analyze where serious crashes, various movement violations, and pedestrian incidents are occurring.
“The primary goal is not enforcement for its own sake, but the prevention of crashes, injuries and fatalities through targeted, data-driven interventions that improve roadway safety for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists,” May said. “Our goal is to reduce community harm by applying the right intervention in the right place, right time, based on research data and community input that demonstrates the greatest potential to improve public safety outcomes.”
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