More than a dozen Alexandria Sheriff’s deputies and police officers played soccer in the blazing heat with about 30 Latino kids yesterday.

It was the last day of the Capital Youth Empowerment Program‘s second annual summer soccer camp at AlexRenew’s Limerick Field. Every Wednesday since June 26, kids who can’t get to the field are picked up by van. Before they play soccer, the kids are given an hour’s worth of the El Camino sexual health program before being let loose on the luscious soccer field.

“We talk about about not doing drugs, about better choices in the life,” said 16-year-old Max Martinez, a rising junior at Alexandria City High School. “It’s worth it. This field is better than the one at school.”

Fredy Martinez (no relation), a substance abuse counselor for Alexandria City Public Schools, is a facilitator/coach for the program.

“We deliver the message of avoiding teen pregnancy and to have a healthy lifestyle without compromising their futures,” he said.

Deputy Carlos Canas is a gang and intel investigator for the city, and said that gangs are active in the city.

“It’s never easy, especially when kids are not in school,” Canas said. “And we all know what happens in our city when it comes to gangs, but lately it’s been active. However, our job is to be out here like today and be proactive, try to show them that we’re here to help and to prevent them from even ever joining a gang.”

Program coordinator Isaac King said that summer camp recruitment will start earlier next year, and that the program has grown largely through word of mouth.

“We want kids to learn about decision making,” King said. “And we want to broker better relations with the police department, so that when the police see the kids on the street, outside of the program, they have relationships with the kids, because they were their coaches and played soccer with them.”

All students are eligible to participate in the program, but it’s geared toward Latino youth.

“We’re always looking for opportunities to engage with kids,” said Chief Deputy Shahram Fard. “If I came out here in uniform, they would not talk to me. But if I come in here and talk to them like this (in workout clothes and soccer cleats), they’ll talk.”

Amid a crime surge, Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes said Monday night that the police force is seeing a “plethora” of guns out on the streets.

Alexandria’s gun-related crime jumped 100% in 2022 over 2021, and Hayes says that overall crime is up 27% for the year.

“I can tell you there are a plethora of guns out on the street,” Hayes said at an Agenda Alexandria panel on the crime surge. “I just read the last four daily watch reports that we have. There was one where officers stopped the car and they arrested the individual for having burglary tools in the car and also there was a gun there. Your officers made an arrest of a stolen car the other day, and in the stolen car there was a stolen gun. One of the shootings that happened about probably three weeks ago, up off of Madison Street, everyone one of the three (suspected) individuals that were stopped all had guns.”

Monday’s panel was held at The Lyceum, and included retired Sheriff Dana Lawhorne, Alexandria City High School parent Jennifer Rohrbach and Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Strange. It was moderated by Agenda Alexandria chair Rod Kuckro.

Rohrbach witnessed two fights outside Alexandria City High School last year when she went to pick up her child, prompting her to begin advocating for student safety.

“I witnessed two fights in front of the school picking my daughter up on different days,” she said. “And then a student was arrested with a loaded glock very close to the classroom at the front door. So what I did is I started getting involved in online groups and one thing led to another and so here I am advocating for safety in the city and for our kids.”

Hayes said that a lot of the uptick in gun violence is attributable to “crews” of violent youth and stopped short of calling them gangs. He also said that the guns seized are a mix of legal and illegal weapons.

“It’s the beefs that are going on between the crews, some from down Route 1, some from Woodbridge, some from Alexandria, and there is no one particular reason why it’s happening.” Hayes said. “I just think that things have changed and hopefully this is not going to be a norm, we can get a handle on this, and get them to do some other things that are constructive. But I will say this: that it’s been happening a lot, just not the same characters.”

The department’s strategy so far is to add police presence to high-crime areas, putting more cops in communities with public events and the strategically placement of mobile camera units. Hayes also said that his office is in constant communication with neighboring law enforcement agencies, as crime is up regionally and nationally.

Lawhorne, who served as sheriff from 2006 to 2021, said that there need to be harsher punishments for such offenses.

“These notification of shots fired, most are if Rod does something to make me mad, I drive over to his house, I stick my gun out the window, and I discharge it about 12 times with shell casings around the street,” Lawhorne said. “Rod’s going to return the favor. He’s going to drive back to my house and he’s going to do the same thing. That’s a simple explanation of kind of what’s going on… However, it’s done to intimidate others, but it is terrorizing neighborhoods and it’s unnacceptable.”

Lawhorne said that underage possession of a firearm is a class one misdemeanor, as is public discharge of a firearm.

“Unfortunately, sometimes those bullets hit property, or sometimes people, but let me say the majority they’re shooting in the air to intimidate somebody,” Lawhorne said. “Unless I hit somebody or their property it’s a class one misdemeanor. There needs to be harsher penalties for this reckless behavior.”

Hayes also said that the department is also short-staffed, and that significant resources are devoted to an increase in mental health-related calls for service.

“It’s a significant drain on our resources, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight,” Hayes said.

Old Town was packed on Saturday morning for Alexandria’s 40th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Thousands of visitors lined King Street to watch a procession of more than 2,000 participants, including Irish dancers, historic reenactors and the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums. The festivities also included a car show and a dog show at Market Square outside City Hall.

This year’s Grand Marshal was Charlotte Hall, managing director of Old Town Business. The parade was sponsored by the Ballyshaners, a nonprofit dedicated to Irish heritage. Ballyshaners is Gaelic for “Old Towners.”

Enjoy the photos!

It’s the 40th annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in old town Alexandria. @wtop pic.twitter.com/GALWNTcrJE

— Dick Uliano (@DickUliano) March 4, 2023

Get out of the way!!
Today, the Woodridge Showtime Marching Eagles Performed at the 2023 Ballyshaners St. Patrick's Day Parade held in Old Town Alexandria Virginia. #woodridgeeaglessoar💙💛💙🦅 #FriendshipProud #fpcswoodridge #dccharterproud #marchingband pic.twitter.com/0jpJoQ4U4F

— Friendship PCS (@FriendshipPCS) March 4, 2023

Some St. Patrick’s Day parade shots. #alexandriava #oldtownalexandria pic.twitter.com/l1Cx1kgLG2

— Old Town Dog Walks (@Oldtowndogwalks) March 4, 2023

Old Town was packed on Monday, as thousands of revelers and marchers celebrated the George Washington Birthday Parade.

More than 2,000 freemasons from all over the country marched in the 100th annual parade, which is the largest annual celebration of Washington in the world.

This year’s event saw a rare route change for the parade, which is traditionally held east of Washington Street near City Hall in the Old Town Historic District. This year, the parade made its way from Old Town North to King Street and near the George Washington Masonic National Memorial at King Street and Commonwealth Avenue.

This event commemorated the construction of the Memorial in 1923, which saw then-President Calvin Coolidge, Chief Justice William Howard Taft and Virginia Governor E. L.Trinkle lay the cornerstone.

Alexandria’s next parade is the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Old Town on Saturday, March 4.

The Alexandria Police Department and Sheriff’s Office shared statements condemning the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis earlier this month.

Five police officers were fired and charged with second-degree murder. The recent release of the video showing the assault has sparked a wave of protests in Memphis.

While Alexandria is around 880 miles removed from Memphis, police deaths elsewhere have still impacted the local community in the past. Alexandrians hosted vigils and protests against police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s death.

The full statement from Don Hayes, Chief of Police with the Alexandria Police Department is below:

In the aftermath of the recent Memphis police incident, the Alexandria Police Department wants to acknowledge the importance of law enforcement agencies denouncing such horrific behavior at the hands of sworn officers.

“The men and women of the Alexandria Police Department are deeply disturbed by the released footage of actions from five police officers in Memphis that led to the death of Tyre Nichols. The violence displayed in this video has impacted both members of our community and the police department, with many experiencing feelings of shock, anger, disgust, and outrage. The deplorable actions of these officers not only illustrate a complete disregard for the sanctity of human life but violate the fundamental values of the law enforcement profession as a whole.

The impact of excessive force is visceral and is an exceptionally painful reminder of the importance of continued accountability within policing. While the justice system has begun the process of investigating this tragedy, the community is just now beginning to process the pain of yet another life lost at the hands of the police. The inhumane actions of these officers will inevitably undermine the efforts APD has made to strengthen our community relationships, shattering trust and police legitimacy.

The Alexandria Police Department strongly condemns the actions evident in the footage, but condemnation is not justice. Mr. Nichols’ family deserves a thorough, expedited, and transparent investigation into the conduct of these officers. We share in their grief and in the heartache the community feels. We also want to assure our community these actions are the antithesis of APD’s values. Every member of our department is dedicated to serving the Alexandria community with integrity and empathy. Our department values the sanctity of life and appreciates the trust the community places in us.”

Donald C. Hayes

Chief of Police

The full statement from Sheriff Sean Casey is below:

Like other law enforcement leaders, I am extremely disturbed by the horrific attack on Tyre Nichols by Memphis police officers. Their actions are not only counter to police training and acceptable law enforcement practices, they are in complete opposition to the sworn oath we take to protect life.

Following George Floyd’s murder less than three years ago, the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office adopted a policy of active bystandership that requires employees to intervene when they witness another engaging in unacceptable conduct. ASO was one of the first agencies accepted for the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) Project with Georgetown University’s Law Center and all our deputies received training on peer intervention to prevent harm.

We will be reinforcing this by immediately conducting mandatory refresher training for all deputies on peer intervention as well as on our use of force policies.

I remain committed to working toward a more just society and ensuring that our profession does all we can to prevent abuse of power.

Sheriff Sean Casey

If someone calls and claims to be from the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office while demanding money, it’s a scam.

That’s the message local law enforcement is trying to get out, as more city residents report receiving phone calls from scammers. It’s not a new scam, but it’s pervasive, leading officials to continue to spread the word.

The advice from the Sheriff’s Office: just hang up if you get a call like this.

More from the Sheriff’s Office:

The Alexandria Sheriff’s Office wants to alert area residents to ongoing phone scams in which suspects pose as members of law enforcement to coerce victims into giving them money. This type of scam has occurred throughout the region, including Alexandria, and across the country.

Scams have different variations but generally the caller will identify themself as a law enforcement officer and tell the victim, falsely, that a warrant has been issued because they missed a court date, did not show up for jury duty, have an overdue fine or something similar, and they will be arrested unless they pay right away.

Callers often use the names of actual deputies or police officers, and they may disguise their phone number to make it look like they are calling from a local law enforcement agency. This practice of disguising the caller ID is known as “spoofing.” Federal authorities have already reported that scammers will attempt to email a victim fake law enforcement credentials to gain their trust.

Callers intimidate victims by demanding payment and threatening them with arrest if they do not cooperate. They may demand that fines or fees by paid with money, credit cards, gift cards, payment apps, or even cryptocurrency. But no legitimate law enforcement agency in Virginia or in the region will ever call someone and demand money.

“The best way for someone to protect themselves from these scams is simply to hang up,” says Sheriff Sean Casey. “Don’t let your guard down and don’t be intimidated into providing personal details or financial information. Real deputies are not going to call you and threaten you with arrest, so just hang up if you get a call like that.”

Anyone who has been the victim of a scam should notify their financial institution and report it to their local police department. The Alexandria Police Department can be reached at 703-746-4444.

(Updated at 1:45 p.m.) The Alexandria City Council unanimously adopted City Manager Jim Parajon’s $839.2 million fiscal year 2023 budget on Wednesday night (May 4), and despite giving all city employees raises, Mayor Justin Wilson says inflation will likely mean more raises in future budgets.

“We’re staring into a significant inflationary environment that pinches our employees very hard, just like it pinches everyone hard,” Wilson said. “We’re going to have to continue to have this conversation every year about how we make sure we invest in the level of compensation and benefits required to not only attract but retain the best and the brightest in the city.”

The budget is an 8.9% increase from the FY 2022 budget, and includes a 7%  raise for firefighters, medics and fire marshals; a 6% raise for Police Department and Sheriff’s Office staff and a 4.5% raise for general city employees. That’s in addition to annual merit increases for city staff.

City residents can expect to pay an additional $445, or 6.5%, in real estate taxes, although Parajon’s budget maintains the current tax rate at $1.11 per $100 of assessed value. There are a number of other new fees, such as a $294 stormwater utility fee, which is a $14 increase over last year’s doubling of the fee from $140 to $280 to shore up flooding issues.

Council also approved Wilson’s proposal to increase annual residential and commercial refuse collection fees to $500 citywide (from $411 for commercial and $484.22 for residential collection). The $315,000 from the collected fees will fund a curbside food waste collection pilot.

This was the first budget for Parajon, who started work in January.

“This is a team effort and the fact we were able to put together what I think is a budget that truly is going to help a lot of people in the city,” Parajon said.

Councilman Kirk McPike said that he was proud to raise employee compensation, and that there is more work to do. McPike and his fellow new Council members Sarah Bagley and Alyia Gaskins were supportive of a 10% raise for AFD staff in February, as the department has struggled with recruitment, retention and compensation for years.

“I think that as a council we’re committed to doing more to help our firefighters and our police have the support that they need to give us the protection that the people of Alexandria deserve,” McPike said.

The budget also fully meet the requests of the Alexandria City Public Schools budget, which includes a 10.25% raise for teachers.

Council also unanimously approved the 10-year $2.73 billion Capital Improvement Program, which includes $497.8 million in investments for a new high school, renovations at 1705 N. Beauregard Street and two elementary school expansions.

The budget moves nearly $800,000 in Alexandria Police Department funding for School Resource Officers at Alexandria City Public Schools to a reserve account to fund six full time employees.

The budget includes:

• $1.85 million for police body worn cameras
• Expansion to Dash line 30
• $95,000 to hire a social equity officer
•  An additional Alexandria Co-Response team (ACORP), costing $277,000
• $200,000 in reserve funding to support Metro Stage construction
• Purchase of 4850 Mark Center Drive — the future home of the Department of Community and Human Services, the Alexandria Health Department and a West End service center

Alexandria City Council Adopts Fiscal Year 2023 Budget: https://t.co/ODqov4d4n7

— AlexandriaVAGov (@AlexandriaVAGov) May 4, 2022

There were a few tears and lots of laughs as former Alexandria Sheriff Dana Lawhorne was honored for his career in law enforcement on April 5 (Tuesday).

“I do not know where I would be without the kindness of others,” Lawhorne told friends, family and former law enforcement colleagues packed in Fellowship Hall at the First baptist Church of Alexandria (2932 King Street).

Lawhorne was recognized for his sense of humor and ability to connect with others. He was Sheriff for 16 years (four terms) and an Alexandria Police officer for 27 years.

“Dana, your service in exercising the power with which you were entrusted leads to the conclusion that your character is beyond reproach,” former Commonwealth’s Attorney Randy Sengel said. “It blessed many lives, and I think will stand the test of time as one of the most generous gifts that the city has ever seen.”

Mallory Lawhorne thanked her father for his years of service, and said that it was hard on her family to see Lawhorne hang up his badge.

“The thought of no longer seeing him go to work every day and come home, put his uniform on every day, it’s just it was kind of thinkable,” Mallory Lawhorne said. “He’s been retired since January, I think he’s definitely more than proven that he’s not going anywhere. He’s keeping himself busy. He’s still around. He’s keeping himself in everyone’s lives.”

The George Washington Birthday Parade returned to Alexandria on Monday after a two year hiatus. The streets of Old Town were lined with celebration for Washington’s 290th birthday.

Alexandria’s health care workers and first responders marched as parade grand marshals. The parade, which started at Gibbon and Fairfax Streets and snaked around City Hall, was attended by thousands. The event is the largest of its kind in the world honoring the founding father and first president.

(Update at 2:45 p.m.) It’s no secret that Alexandria’s public safety agencies want a raise in the upcoming city budget, but if they are to get a compensation increase it will be outside of the boundaries of collective bargaining.

After more than a year of organizing, the elections for collective bargaining representation for the city’s first responders will be held between Feb. 5 and Feb. 22. But with a staffing crisis and compensation issues within the Fire Department, Police Department and Sheriff’s Office, it will not be until 2024 until negotiations will be fruitful.

“If we get more than 50% then we’re then officially allowed to negotiate with the city of Alexandria around anything labor related,” Jeremy McClayton, an organizer for the International Association of Firefighters’ Local 2141 union, told ALXnow. “This is the step we need to take that actually get to the negotiating table this fall. Benefits, wages, operational procedures, time off requests and more, and that would take place likely from March until October.”

The Alexandria Democratic Committee has even put forward a resolution calling for a 10% pay increase for the employees to “maintain the current expectation of
response time and level of public safety.”

“Alexandria Firefighters Union IAFF Local 2141 sent a letter requesting a pay increase that states that the City needs to put forward the funding to hire an additional
70 personnel, while also improving the salaries, benefits and working conditions for current employees to prevent their departures for other jurisdictions,” reads the resolution, which is supported by City Council members Aalyia Gaskins, Kirk McPike and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney David Lord.

The resolution continues.

“This underfunding and understaffing clearly affect public safety as they prevent the Fire Department from adequately staffing rescue vehicles, and possibly leading to the necessity of closing one fire station.

Whereas the Fire Department had to perform extra duties during the pandemic, handling covid patients, and manning testing sites, and Police have also had to perform extra duties, while also experiencing issues of schools reopening, and an increase in violent crimes due to the economic hardship, isolation and mental stress during Covid. The Sheriff’s Office staff has also certainly faced additional issues with Covid in managing inmates in the city’s jail.

The city imposed a pay and hiring freeze during the pandemic, and after more than a year of operating under a City Emergency, all city and state employees got a 1% bonus and merit increases were restored with the passage of the fiscal year 2022 budget. In a rare event, the City also provided city employees with a 1.5% salary increase and $3,000 bonuses at the end of the 2021 calendar year.

“While most of these challenges must wait to be addressed during an upcoming budget process, the Council did vote last month to allocate surplus money from the previous fiscal year and a portion of our second tranche of American Rescue Plan funds to provide new funding to our employees,” Mayor Justin Wilson said. “The package that the Council adopted included an extremely-rare mid-year 1.5% salary increase for all City employees, a $3,000 bonus to all employees, and targeted increases for several positions in the Police, Fire and Sheriff’s Departments.”

“(T)he city has passed a collective bargaining agreement which won’t go into effect until after the next budget, it is important to address these issues now,” the fire department’s union said in another resolution. “It is important that the city responds in good faith before collective bargaining begins for a multi-year contract.”

Ben Saks, president of the International Union of Police Associations Local 5, says that his union has voiced concerns for months.

“The only way to resolve the staffing crisis is to provide a competitive salary, otherwise current officers and potential applicants will continue to go elsewhere in the region,” Saks said. “Our staffing continues to plummet, so we are asking for a 10% across the board salary increase in the FY23 budget.”

BIG NEWS – OUR ELECTION IS "OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL"

After over a year of organizing, our election for representation collective bargaining begins on February 3rd!!!!

Thank you to our members, allies, key supporters..

(1/many)

— IAFF Local 2141 (@IAFFLocal2141) January 20, 2022

Stop by one of our meet and greets this week to learn more about why IUPA is the best choice to advocate for APD officers during collective bargaining. pic.twitter.com/0Wcif5iTFS

— IUPALocal5 (@IupaLocal5) January 24, 2022