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The Franconia Community Report
March 2024
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Message From the Commander | |
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Dear Franconia Community,
Welcome to the March Commander’s Report. I am excited to increase the reader-requested content based on feedback I have been receiving. Please continue to have your friends and family subscribe to the newsletter.
As we approach the upcoming daylight-saving time change, I want to remind everyone to be extra careful in the mornings as our children head off to school. The darker mornings make it essential to ensure that our young ones are visible and safe as they travel to school. Additionally, during kids' spring break season, please remember to drive safely and be mindful of increased pedestrian traffic in our neighborhoods.
March also marks the approach of significant religious events such as Easter and Ramadan. Let us take the time to reflect on the importance of these holy days and come together as a community to celebrate and support one another.
Although I am happy to report we are significantly down year to date in most crime categories, we have observed an increase in theft, specifically targeting construction contractors and industrial tools. I urge everyone to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity. We have allocated additional resources to the areas where we’ve seen this increase in an effort to help combat these crimes. Together, we can work towards keeping our community safe and secure.
I am pleased to announce that Franconia will be home to several of our soon-to-be Criminal Justice Academy class graduates. It is a fantastic time for our young officers as I often reflect on many fond memories from my “rookie days.”
This diverse group of officers will be dedicated to serving and protecting our community, and I have no doubt they will positively impact our neighborhoods. Let us continue to work together to keep our community safe and thriving. Thank you for your continued support.
Respectfully,
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Kevin
Captain K. Shaw
Commander
Franconia District Station
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Comments?
Let us know what you think of the Community Report. Are there things you would like to see, not see, or see differently? Tell us about it.
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- Commander's Message - Daylight Saving, Spring Holidays, Rookies
- New Franconia Officers - Nine Academy Graduates to Join the Station
- Officer of the Month - Interview Leads to Arrest
- FCPD Information Posts - Scams, Safety Tips and Much More
- Crime Prevention - Commercial Tool Theft, Kids in Cars
- Community Events -Safety Seat Inspections, Ides of Bark
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Community Advisory Committee - March Meeting
- Crime Report - Franconia February Incidents
- Crime Statistics - February Calls for Service, Arrests, and Incidents
- Recruiting and Social Media Links
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Franconia District Station News | |
Nine graduates of the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy will be joining the Franconia District Station on March 23rd. The new officers will next undergo field training for six months under the tutelage of experienced Field Training Instructors. | |
Officer of the Month
Listening and Asking the Right Questions Leads to Arrest
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Franconia District Station’s Officer of the Month for February 2024 is PFC Jake Ryan. On January 31, 2024, PFC Ryan responded to what was believed to be a routine walk-in report at the Franconia District Station. The victim in the case had come to the station to follow up on a report and on warrants she had previously obtained through the magistrate.
PFC Ryan began conversing with the victim about the case, and through his investigative abilities, learned there were additional unreported crimes. PFC Ryan was able to get the victim to disclose an incident that occurred in November 2023, where she was abducted by the suspect. During this abduction, the suspect was armed with a handgun and had assaulted the victim. He also learned the suspect had previously been involved in a homicide in Fairfax County. This investigation led to PFC Ryan obtaining arrest warrants and writing a search warrant for the suspect’s house. He coordinated with many investigative entities, and on February 2, 2024, the suspect was taken into custody by the Fugitive Squad. The search warrant was executed and led to the seizure of approximately $20,000 in cash, felony narcotics, and an unregistered ghost gun.
Due to PFC Ryan taking the extra steps and conducting a thorough investigation, he undoubtedly took a dangerous individual off the street. We are proud to select PFC Jake Ryan as our Officer of the Month.
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Find your purpose and contribute to the community
with FCPD.
Click on the image.
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FCPD posts public information on social media platforms (see links at the end of the newsletter) and official news releases are posted on WordPress. Here are links to some recent postings which may be of particular interest to the Franconia community:
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Theft of tools from stores, storage facilities and work sites is a constant problem and incidents have been on the increase all around the DMV region. The thefts are not only a loss for the businesses that own them, but the stolen tools are sometimes used to break into other businesses and to force open burglarized ATMs, safes and locks.
Here are some tips for tool owners to protect their valuable equipment and to help prevent it from being used for further crimes.
- Place identifying markings on tools. Don't rely on paint, which can be removed or covered. Etch, engrave or stamp tools or use a "branding iron" which melts the marking into the surface. Permanent markings deter theft, make the stolen tools harder to sell, and aid in recovery.
- Record serial numbers and keep an accurate record of equipment. Good records, including photos, can help in returning the tools if they are recovered later.
- Keep tools secure both in storage and at work sites. Use quality locks and maintain a clean, neat site so that missing equipment is readily apparent.
- Remove batteries from tools and store/charge them in a separate location.
- Invest in electronic GPS tracking tags to help locate missing items.
- Consider some of the new "smart" systems for keeping track of tools. The systems use Bluetooth, RFID, IOT (internet-of-things) or other communications technologies. They may be developed and supported by manufacturers and trade organizations.
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Report stolen equipment promptly to police.
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Leaving a child alone in a car poses significant risks, including overheating, injury, or potential abduction. While Virginia has no law against leaving a child alone in a car per se, it does prohibit leaving a child in a car if it jeopardizes the child's health, safety, or well-being - particularly if the car engine is running.
Additionally, the Fairfax County Department of Family Services advises against leaving children eight years old and under unattended in vehicles, regardless of the length of time.
If a child alone in a car appears to be in danger, bystanders should immediately call 9-1-1.
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Here are upcoming events in the community. Click on the underlined headings or contact the Crime Prevention Office for more information. | |
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March 16th: Child Safety Seat Installation and Inspection
Franconia Governmental Center, 6121 Franconia Road, 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Inspections are done on a first come, first served basis. Be sure to install the child safety seat yourself beforehand so the inspection can be performed. If necessary, the seat will be properly re-installed and you will be shown how to install the seat properly in the future. It has been estimated that more than 70% of child safety seats are improperly installed.
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For more information about events or for other crime prevention
information and assistance, contact the
Franconia District Station Crime Prevention and Outreach Office:
Crime Prevention Officer
MPO Sean Corcoran [[email protected]] 703-277-2476
Community Outreach Officer
PFC Kevin Rosa [[email protected]]
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Franconia
Community Advisory Committee (CAC)
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CAC meetings are normally held on the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM in the Franconia Governmental Center, 6121 Franconia Road.
Next CAC Meeting
Wednesday, March 20, 2024, 7pm
Franconia Governmental Center
6121 Franconia Road
Guest Speaker: Franconia
Supervisor Rodney Lusk
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PFC Noah Schlossberg receives the Officer of the Quarter award at the CAC February meeting. | |
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Franconia Incident Reporting | |
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The Franconia District Crime Report contains summaries of incidents that have occurred in the Franconia Police District. Crime reports are also posted periodically on nextdoor.
Incident information is based on initial reports and may be subject to change. The reports are not a comprehensive list of every police event.
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Franconia Calls for Service, Incident, and Arrest Trends
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Arrests, Incidents and Calls for Service generally decreased in February 2024 compared to February 2023
Group A* (more serious) Arrests decreased 1% over the prior year and Group B Arrests increased 8%. Overall, Arrests increased 4%
Calls for Service decreased in the Criminal and Service categories but increased in the Traffic category. Total Calls for Service increased 4% over February 2023.
January 2024 Incidents decreased in all categories - Group A, Group B*, and Non-Reportable. The total decrease was 19% compared to February 2023.
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The chart below provides further detail on Group A incidents by category and Patrol Service Area location.
Click on the graphic for the full-size document.
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* Group A incidents are more serious offenses as designated by the
National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS), Group B are less serious incidents, and Non-Reportable incidents are those that do not require reporting under NIBRS.
To see the call types included in each Call for Service category click HERE.
For a list of Group A and B Incidents click HERE.
For information on how these statistics are compiled, click HERE .
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REMINDER:
Please be vigilant & report any suspicious activity in your neighborhood
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Anyone with information pertaining to cases is asked to contact Crime Solvers by one of the methods below. If the information provided results in an arrest and indictment, apprehension of a fugitive or the recovery of stolen property or seizure of illegal drugs, a cash reward ranging between $100 to $1000 is paid to the tipster.
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By Phone -1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477);
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By Text - Send a text message to 847411, then type the keyword "FCCS" add a space, type your tip info and hit Send;
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By web - Click HERE; or,
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Download our Mobile tip411 App "Fairfax Co Crime Solvers."
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Keep in Touch with FCPD
Information and alerts from the Police Department are available
on our web pages and on many social media platforms.
Click on the button below for a list of links.
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