Good Thursday morning, Alexandria!
🌤️ Today’s weather: The weather will be partly sunny with temperatures reaching a high of around 77°F, accompanied by a northwest wind blowing at 6 to 9 mph. In the evening, expect increasing clouds and a low temperature around 49°F, with an east wind at the same speed of 6 to 9 mph.
The Alexandria Police Department and Alexandria Commonwealth Attorney’s Office were recently awarded large grants to curb a skyrocketing surge in gun-related crime incidents in the city.
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services recently awarded APD with a $250,000 grant for gun violence and prevention, and the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office with a $497,000 grant to prosecute gun-related crimes.
The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) announced a new crash tracker that lets Alexandrians and residents of other nearby localities track and report dangerous situations.
A release from WABA said the new tracker lets residents of Northern Virginia, Prince George’s County, Montgomery County and Washington D.C. report:
The Alexandria Police Department urged drivers to slow down after saying a driver was issued a ticket earlier this week for going 112 miles per hour in a 55 mph speed zone.
Police said an Alexandria Police Department officer was on his way to work on Wednesday when he issued a citation for the driver going over twice the legal limit at Van Dorn Street and I-495.
The Vision Zero goal of zero roadway deaths and severe injuries is daunting, but the City announced that it closed 2023 with zero traffic fatalities.
In a release, the Department of Transportation and Environmental Services (T&ES) noted that one year with zero fatalities does not a trend make or mean that the city should roll out the Mission Accomplished banner.
Twenty three Alexandria middle schoolers and eight Alexandria City High School students were arrested in the first two quarters of this school year, according to a report that the School Board will receive Thursday.
There were also 213 incidents requiring a police response, including five weapons-related incidents, 43 students needing EMS assistance, 56 fights/assaults and three reports of sexual assault.
Alexandria experienced a nearly 30% increase in Part 1 crime in 2023, and Mayor Justin Wilson says new initiatives will help stem the flow.
Part 1 crimes, or crimes against people, include homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny and auto theft. There were 4,410 total Part I incidents in 2023, an increase of 31% over the 3,361 incidents reported in 2022, according to the Alexandria Police Department Crime Dashboard.
Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes is stepping down to take a new federal job, the city announced today. His last day is Feb. 9, and Assistant Chief Raul Pedroso will be interim police chief until a replacement is hired in a national search.
Hayes has been police chief since 2022, before which he was acting chief for a year after the departure of former Chief Michael Brown. He started his career with the Alexandria Police Department in 1981.
Alexandria doesn’t have the resources to adequately cover the public safety aspect of the proposed Potomac Yard arena and entertainment district, sources in the Alexandria Police Department and Sheriff’s Office told ALXnow.
The city currently does not have the resources to cover the addition of the arena and entertainment district at Potomac Yard. The Alexandria Police Department has just over 300 officers, the Sheriff’s Office has around 165 deputies and the Fire Department has about 300 fire and rescue personnel.
Four intersections along N. Saint Asaph Street, near the Trader Joes and Harris Teeter, could have new ‘no turn on red restrictions’.
A report (page 12) to the Traffic and Parking Board — ahead of a meeting tonight (Monday) — said the intersections along N. Saint Asaph Street can be a dangerous combination of pedestrian traffic around the grocery stores coming into conflict with traffic spilling off Washington Street.
A report on Alexandria’s Complete Streets program highlighted work done over the last year and a peek ahead at new bike lanes, sidewalks, trail improvements and more.
The Complete Streets presentation (starting with slide 36) is headed to the Transportation Commission on Wednesday, Oct. 18, alongside a report on the city’s Vision Zero project and Safe Routes to Schools.
