police | ALXnow

ACPS Superintendent Hutchings defends critical race theory, says schools should abolish policing

Published April 8, 2022 at 2:30PM | Updated April 8, 2022 at 4:56PM

Alexandria City Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Hutchings is making a case for critical race theory (CRT) and abolishing policing practices, although not within the school system he manages.

In an opinion piece published by EducationWeek on April 6 (Wednesday), Hutchings said that school systems need to employ six steps if they want to “embrace” building an anti-racist school or school system. In “The Anti-Racist Counternarrative Public Education Needs Now: Six steps for escaping the trap of attacks on ‘critical race theory’“, Hutchings wrote that most public school educators never heard of the term before it became politicized during the 2020 election cycle.

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D.C. man charged with assault and battery after brawl at William Ramsay Recreation Center

By James Cullum

Published April 5, 2022 at 10:45AM

Alexandria Police at night (staff photo by James Cullum)

A 25-year-old Washington, D.C. man was arrested on March 26 (Saturday) after an assault by mob at William Ramsay Recreation Center (5650 Sanger Avenue).

At around 9:15 p.m., the city’s Department of Emergency Communications got a call of multiple males fighting in the gym of the West End recreation center. When police arrived, a white Chrysler Sebring with Virginia tags attempted to drive away from the scene at “a high rate of speed,” according to a search warrant affidavit. Responding officers blocked the Sebring’s exit and its occupants were detained and questioned.

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Alexandria Police to start wearing body worn cameras this summer, will take a year until full deployment

By James Cullum

Published April 1, 2022 at 2:15PM

Alexandria Police will be outfitted with body worn cameras starting this summer, but it won’t be until next year that all officers will be outfitted with the devices.

The $2.2 million program City Manager Jim Parajon presented to Council on Wednesday (March 30) is significantly scaled back cost-wise when compared to a $13 million proposal presented to City Council last year by then-Police Chief Michael Brown.

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No arrests after fatal Duke Street crash, cocaine and other suspected drugs found in vehicle involved

By James Cullum

Published April 1, 2022 at 10:45AM

Alexandria Police lights (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Police are still investigating a February 22 crash on Duke Street that resulted in the death of a driver and multiple injuries. No one has been arrested in connection to the crash, even though one of the drivers involved was found to be in possession of cocaine and number of other suspected drugs.

“The crash resulted in one fatality, one critical injury, one serious injury, and two minor injuries,” APD said in a release. “Preliminary investigation suggests speed may have been a contributing factor in this incident.”

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Three Alexandria men arrested after robbery and abduction in West End

By James Cullum

Published March 31, 2022 at 1:00PM | Updated May 3, 2022 at 9:38AM

Alexandria Police at night (staff photo by James Cullum)

Three men are being held without bond in the city jail after a robbery and abduction in the West End.

The incident occurred on February 23 at an apartment in the 51oo block of Fairbanks Avenue, which is near the intersection of Seminary Road and N. Beauregard Street. The victim went to the apartment to meet with an “associate”, who asked him for money, but the man said he didn’t have any, according to a search warrant affidavit.

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Fairfax County man arrested after allegedly pointing gun at girlfriend’s head in Landmark area

By James Cullum

Published March 30, 2022 at 2:15PM

A Fairfax County man was arrested earlier this month after allegedly punching and slapping his girlfriend and pointing a gun at her head.

The incident occurred on Jan. 30 in the woman’s apartment in the 100 block of Century Drive in the Landmark area. The victim called police and said that her boyfriend, Milek Pittman, punched her in the face and pointed a gun at her head after an argument erupted, according to a search warrant affidavit. Pittman also allegedly damaged a door of the apartment by punching and kicking it.

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Man arrested for DUI and assault and battery after abandoning car on Duke Street

By James Cullum

Published March 30, 2022 at 9:30AM

Police car lights (file photo)

A Fairfax County man was charged was charged with driving under the influence and assault and battery after allegedly abandoning his car in the middle of the 3500 block of Duke Street and running away on foot.

The 32-year-old suspect was arrested for allegedly assaulting a person after he ran east on Duke Street at around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 12. Police were initially called because his vehicle was sitting in the road and blocking the driveway of the McDonald’s at Duke Street and Wheeler Avenue, which is next door to Alexandria Police Headquarters at 3600 Wheeler Avenue.

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Man taken into custody after threatening to shoot up Alexandria courthouse in murder/suicide

By James Cullum

Published March 29, 2022 at 2:15PM

The Franklin P. Backus Courthouse at 520 King Street in Alexandria (staff photo by James Cullum)

A Washington D.C. man was placed under an emergency substantial risk order on March 16 after allegedly threatening to shoot up the Alexandria Courthouse (520 King Street).

Police found the man outside of the courthouse in his red Jeep Cherokee, after his ex-girlfriend called police and said that he was having a mental health crisis, according to a search warrant affidavit. The woman told police that her ex was triggered after being threatened by a woman with a knife the previous day.

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NOVA cancels classes at Alexandria campus after bomb threat

By Vernon Miles

Published March 29, 2022 at 1:00PM

The Northern Virginia Community College has canceled classes at its Alexandria campus after a bomb threat.

The campus was shut down at 8 a.m. this morning, and all classes were canceled by 11:30 a.m. with all campus facilities being closed.

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D.C. man arrested after assault by mob in West End

By James Cullum

Published March 29, 2022 at 10:45AM

An Alexandria police cruiser (Staff photo by James Cullum)

One person was arrested after an assault by mob in the West End on Saturday night (March 26).

Police reported that at around 9:20 p.m., police responded to a group of people fighting on a basketball court at in the 5600 Block of Sanger Avenue. No weapons were reported at the event, and the victim refused medical treatment after receiving minor injuries.

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Extension of school resource officers program will give ACPS time to map out future, says superintendent

By James Cullum

Published March 25, 2022 at 3:00PM

Alexandria Police cruiser (staff photo by James Cullum)

Superintendent Gregory Hutchings, Jr. wants another year of funding for the school resource officer program — time he says that will allow Alexandria City Public Schools to map out its future without a rush.

Hutchings says the extension will allow for the formation of a School Law Enforcement Advisory Group next month, which will closely study the SRO program and hammer out a proposal for a new bi-annual memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Alexandria Police Department in December.