Sean Casey | ALXnow

‘Do you want to be in the jail business,’ Sheriff Casey asks City Council amid budget talks

Published April 20, 2026 at 3:55PM | Updated April 21, 2026 at 9:00AM

Sheriff Sean Casey at the unveiling of the Alexandria Police Department Suicide Memorial, Sept. 26, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey and members of his staff argued against a proposed budget reallocation before City Council on Saturday (April 18).

Casey said a proposal by Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley and City Councilman Abdel Elnoubi to transfer $200,000 out of the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office budget for a jail operational efficiency study is a waste of valuable resources and will hurt an already cash-strapped agency. While a number of speakers at Saturday’s public hearing called for Casey’s budget to be cut over what they see as voluntary collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Enforcement, several City Council members defended the proposed study, saying the measure is intended to improve ASO operations.

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Advocates ask City Council to cut sheriff’s budget over inmate transfers to ICE

By James Cullum

Published March 10, 2026 at 2:45PM | Updated March 10, 2026 at 3:03PM

City Council budget public hearing on March 9, 2026 (via City of Alexandria)

Critics of Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey asked City Council last night (Monday) to withhold his funding unless he stops voluntarily transferring inmates to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

More than two dozen speakers appeared before City Council at its public hearing on City Manager Jim Parajon’s fiscal year 2027 budget proposal. For nearly a year, activists have protested against ASO’s transferring of Alexandria inmates to ICE custody via the agency’s detainers and administrative warrants.

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Sheriff’s Office accepting applications for four-week ‘Community Academy’ program

By James Cullum

Published January 22, 2026 at 9:30AM

Sergeant Mauck supervises a PepperBall® launcher training activity with members of the Alexandria Sheriff’s Community Academy. (via Alexandria Sheriff’s Office)

Sheriff Sean Casey is inviting residents to the city courthouse and jail to learn about the inner workings of the Sheriff’s Office.

Applications are currently being accepted for the spring session of the Sheriff’s Community Academy. The free sessions run on four consecutive Saturdays from March 7-28, teaching residents about jail operations, inmate services, judicial operations and more. The application deadline to participate is Feb. 27.

Around Town

PHOTOS: Don’t miss ALXnow’s coverage of the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade

By James Cullum

Published December 8, 2025 at 10:30AM

The City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums marches at the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade in Old Town, Dec. 6, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

What a day for a parade it was in Old Town on Saturday, Dec. 6.

The wailing of bagpipes sailed through Alexandria’s historic streets as thousands of community members gathered to watch the 54th annual Scottish Christmas Walk Parade.

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Alexandria voters reelect sheriff, commonwealth’s attorney and three state delegates

By Katie Taranto

Published November 5, 2025 at 9:15AM

Commonwealth's Attorney Bryan Porter speaks at the No Kings Rally at Market Square in Old Town, June 14, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria voters reelected Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter, Sheriff Sean Casey and three House of Delegates members in resounding victories.

Running without opposition, Porter and Casey each received 96% of votes. Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3), Del. Charniele L. Herring (D-4) and Del. Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (D-5) also held onto their statehouse seats.

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Alexandria leaders mark 9/11 anniversary with call for unity, civility

By James Cullum

Published September 11, 2025 at 12:15PM

Alexandria's Joint Public Safety Honor Guard at the 9/11 remembrance ceremony at Alexandria's Market Square, Sept. 11, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria leaders commemorated the 24th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on Thursday, Sept. 11, and reflected on the personal and societal impacts that followed.

Mayor Alyia Gaskins was joined by Sheriff Sean Casey, Fire Chief Felipe Hernandez, Jr., and Police Chief Tarrick McGuire onstage at Market Square in front of City Hall (301 King Street). Gaskins urged the audience to “remember the lives lost on 9/11 and to look forward with hope and a call to action for peace and a better world.”

News

Report: ICE preparing to deploy tactical units to Northern Virginia and four big cities

By James Cullum

Published June 11, 2025 at 3:00PM | Updated June 14, 2025 at 3:04AM

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement logo (via Facebook)

Northern Virginia is reportedly among the “five cities run by Democratic leaders” that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is preparing to deploy tactical units to, according to MSNBC.

Citing two unnamed sources “familiar with the planning of future ICE operations,” MSNBC reported that ICE is preparing to deploy tactical response teams in New York City, Seattle, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Northern Virginia.

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The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office is making free identification cards for kids

By James Cullum

Published May 22, 2025 at 3:40PM

The Alexandria Sheriff's Office is making identification cards for kids (via City of Alexandria)

The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office is making free identification cards for kids at community events.

ASO launched the program last month with a donation from Dominion Energy. Look for ASO staff at public events, like the city’s monthly community cookouts, to get a free photo identification card for kids with a photograph and fingerprint. Parents will get the only copies of the identifications, and ASO will not store the data.

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Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey doesn’t want another job, ever

By James Cullum

Published April 17, 2025 at 2:45PM

Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey talks to ALXnow at Paris Baguette, 4616 Kenmore Avenue (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey likes his job so much that he doesn’t want another one, ever.

Casey’s perch seems secure. Even though he faces no opposition for the second time in his upcoming reelection in November, the Alexandria native says he’ll be knocking on doors and shaking hands to get votes in the months ahead.

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Alexandria Sheriff Sean Casey and Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter facing no opposition this November

By James Cullum

Published April 4, 2025 at 3:30PM

A voting sign at the Alexandria Registrar of Voters, 132 N. Royal Street, in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

It’s going to be a smooth election season for Alexandria’s Democrat Commonwealth Attorney Bryan Porter and Sheriff Sean Casey.

No Republicans or other Democrats filed respective primary bids for both seats by the April deadline. That means that the only opposition the Porter and Casey face is from write-in candidates on election day in November, according to the city registrar’s office.

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History-Making Mayor: Alyia Gaskins celebrated by peers as Alexandria’s first Black female leader

By James Cullum

Published April 3, 2025 at 11:00AM | Updated April 3, 2025 at 3:47PM

Mayor Alyia Gaskins (center in green) honored by her peers, April 2, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Role model, history maker and mayor — being Mayor of Alexandria is more than just chairing meetings. On Wednesday (April 2), Mayor Alyia Gaskins was honored with a party by her peers as the first Black female mayor of the city.

The event, which wasn’t a fundraiser, was held at Junction Bakery & Bistro (1508 Mount Vernon Avenue) in Del Ray, and was organized by City Council Member Jacinta Greene, retired Sheriff Dana Lawhorne, and Monika Chapman.