Thank you to the hundreds of communities that hosted National Night Out (NNO) this year and welcomed Team MVD and our officers to come celebrate with you. NNO provides an opportunity for our police and local stations to connect and create relationships. Community safety is our top priority in Fairfax County, and we’re constantly working to ensure that our neighborhoods remain some of the safest in the nation. The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) recently provided these updates.
The Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA) released its Year-End Crime Report, once again naming Fairfax County the safest jurisdiction of our size in the country.
In coordination with this release, FCPD's Year-End 2023 Crime Report (https://fcpdnews.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/fcpd-countywide-crime-summary_q4-2023.pdf) highlights several accomplishments, including a 42% decrease in motor vehicle parts thefts, a significant reduction in fatal crashes and a nearly 40% increase in traffic summonses. FCPD recovered 1,192 firearms and increased DUI arrests by 20%, all contributing to our ongoing mission to keep our community safe. Additionally in 2023, FCPD made arrests in 70% of all retail theft incidents – an incredibly high number. These efforts are continuing in 2024.
In 2016, FCPD’s Diversion First program was established to offer alternatives to jail for individuals with mental illness, co-occurring substance use disorders and developmental disabilities who encounter the criminal justice system for low-level offenses. The 2023 Diversion First Annual Report (https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/topics/sites/topics/files/Assets/Documents/PDF/2023-DF-Annual-Report.pdf) discusses the work of the co-responder program, Fairfax County Mental Health Dockets and the Striving to Achieve Recovery (STAR) program, which continue to provide alternatives to arrest, combat stigma and offer paths to recovery. It was reported that over 80% of individuals transported to the Merrifield Crisis Response Center by law enforcement in 2022 did not have a repeat visit related to criminal justice involvement within the following year, and these numbers are consistent with the previous year. And the STAR program in the Adult Detention Center continues to have an impact on individuals focused on recovery. In July, as part of our Summer Crime Prevention Initiative, FCPD officers removed 39 impaired drivers from our roads and issued over 658 traffic charges for unsafe driving. This year, the initiative focused on reducing impaired driving and promoting safe driving behaviors across the County.
I am pleased to introduce two new leaders who will be instrumental in our ongoing community safety efforts. Major Marisa Kuhar is the new Franconia District Station Commander. With over two decades of experience in the FCPD, including roles in patrol, Youth Services, the Criminal Justice Academy, the Department of Public Safety Communications (9-1-1 Center) and the Major Crimes Bureau, Major Kuhar is eager to collaborate with the community and officers to address key concerns like traffic and theft.
Major Matthew Luik is the new Mount Vernon District Station Commander. Major Luik began his FCPD career in 2002 as a patrol officer and has since held various roles, including detective in the Organized Crime and Narcotics Division and team leader of the SWAT Team. In May, he was promoted to Major of the Criminal Investigations Division within the Major Crimes Bureau. Please join me in welcoming Major Kuhar and Major Luik to our community!
To learn more about these topics and other FCPD news, check out the new FCPD Crime and Traffic Data dashboard (https://www.fcpod.org/pages/crime-data), sign up for the police blog FCPD News (https://fcpdnews.wordpress.com/) and follow FCPD on X and Facebook: @FairfaxCountyPD.
Thinking about a career in law enforcement? Discover the opportunities waiting for you — learn more and apply (https://joinfcpd.org/).