The Fair Oaks District Police Station running smoothly, due to its officers as well as the man at the helm, Capt. Chris Marsh. Altogether, he’s worked nearly 23 years in the Fairfax County Police Department.
He joined the military after high school and served four years in the Army, ending at Fort Belvoir. He was a military police officer, so it was only natural that, in April 1993, he attended Fairfax County’s Criminal Justice Academy.
Marsh began his career as a patrol officer at the Mount Vernon District Station and was there seven years. “It was an active station,” he said. “I was on a great squad with a lot of great officers and built the foundation of being a good police officer.”
Promoted to sergeant, he was transferred to the Mason District Station as a first-line supervisor. “There, I helped mentor other officers, enrich their careers and support the Police Department’s mission and the community,” he said.
Marsh was next promoted to second lieutenant and went to the Sully District Station in April 2003. “I was there about two years as a squad supervisor,” he said. “It’s probably where I most developed as a squad leader, refining my trade.”
Another promotion made him a first lieutenant and brought him to Reston as assistant commander of that police station until February 2007. “Every first-line supervisor had more time in the department than I did, and some had double,” said Marsh. “So they were well-established and knew what they were doing and it worked out well.”
This position also gave him experience “working with the Board of Supervisors and getting out into the community and understanding what it was looking for in a police department. I got involved in their issues and they wanted to be kept in the loop about ongoing stuff in the district. So it was information sharing both ways.”
Marsh next made a lateral move to the department’s Internal Affairs Investigations Division, staying three years. “It investigates allegations of wrongdoing — from violations of policy and regulations to the use of deadly force and violations of state law,” he said.
It also entails many administrative duties. “You realize the job’s importance and that it’s critical to maintaining the community’s trust,” said Marsh. “It’s a great experience, giving you a strong foundation and a good place to have been because of the value it provides you.”
Afterward, he became assistant commander of the Organized Crime and Narcotics Division, overseeing and helping investigate large-scale money-laundering, vice, narcotics and gambling offenses. He was promoted to captain in late 2013 and stayed put — but now he was that division’s commander.
“I was there three years altogether,” said Marsh. “It was a good assignment because it’s so different than anything else. And it opens your eyes to some of the large-scale crime that goes on in the U.S. We networked and liaisoned with other local, federal and state agencies — and transportation hubs like airports — and built good relationships with them.”
He next spent a year as the staff duty officer attached to the Patrol Bureau. He was mainly in his vehicle, working 12-hour shifts throughout the county. “I responded to large-scale crises such as missing persons, barricade situations — for example, a domestic incident or a wanted person — and fatal accidents,” said Marsh. “I was the operational commander at the scene.”
During his tenure, there were several missing-persons cases with extensive searches and rescues. “All the odd things that can surface in a community come to a duty officer,” he said. “He also works closely with battalion chiefs in the fire departments, in a unified command approach. Even during a large, structure fire, police can help control traffic. Or in a barricade situation, the fire department could be waiting nearly.”
“It was exciting — a great job — getting back to the core of police work,” added Marsh. “You’re back out there in the mix again, so it’s invigorating.”
He then came to the Fair Oaks District Station in January as its commander. He replaced John Naylor who now commands the Animal Control Division. “I was excited, looking forward to the challenge of running a district station,” said Marsh. “You can have an impact on the quality of life of the officers that work for you, as well as assist with community issues.”
The Fair Oaks Station has 105 officers who cover 37 square miles. “I’ve enjoyed it, said Marsh. “A station commander is one of the busier jobs in the Police Department. I’m responsible for all the officers [here] — for their training, morale and equipment necessary to do the job. I’m also responsible for maintaining the facility, vehicles and equipment; everything ends with me.”
He also deals with the community, speaking to groups and handling any complaints. “They’re mainly related to traffic issues and we take them seriously,” said Marsh. “I check to see if we’ve addressed it in the past, what we can do now and how the citizens can help us.”
He said the biggest problems in the community are vehicle tamperings, burglaries and traffic. People often check for unlocked cars, said Marsh, and then steal the valuables inside. And over the past couple months, there have been several motorcycle thefts from residential areas, especially apartment and condo complexes. But, he added, “Traffic is always the number-one complaint, especially on the smaller roads.”
Happy at Fair Oaks, he said, “I came in here with the belief that I have the opportunity to improve the work life of the officers and supervisors, as well as increase and build relationships with the community we serve.”
Cognizant of police problems nationwide, Marsh said, “We’re under a microscope, but we should always act like we’re being recorded. We’re responsible to the community as a whole. And we need to continue doing the best job and keeping our integrity and way of doing things at a high level. We should give the community the service they deserve.”
Since police work is a “continual, living operation,” he said, every day’s different and the job’s never-ending. So, said Marsh, “It’s important for me to learn the culture of this station and district so I can be an effective leader and improve things here and for this community.”
He said his greatest satisfaction will be “making this place better than when I arrived. The officers are such a critical part of the community as a whole. So it’s important for me to ensure that they’re happy and have all the tools they need to keep the community safe. The great thing about this profession is the friendships and bonds you build with others — they really last.”
Calling Fair Oaks a great community, Marsh is “looking forward to spending the next several years getting out there, meeting people and providing the quality service for which the Fairfax County Police Department is known.”