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Black, Male and Arrested in Alexandria
Alexandria’s war on drugs hits black males hardest.
According to the Alexandria Police Department, 64 percent of people arrested in Alexandria for drug arrests last year were African American. Almost half of those arrests were Black males.
Third Suspect Charged in Lenny Harris Murder Investigation
Maryland police say this is the final suspect in the case.
In Maryland, police have arrested a third suspect in the murder of civic activist Lenny Harris, whose body was discovered last week at the bottom of a 25-foot well.
Week in Alexandria
Alexandria police officers have arrested a man they say is responsible for a rash of burglaries from automobiles over the last few months in the Rosemont neighborhood.
Alexandria Reckoning
Police launch formal inquiry into why Black people make up majority of arrests.
Black people are 23 percent of the population in Alexandria, and yet most arrests in the city are of African Americans. Most cases when police use force are against Black people. Most drug arrests are of Black people. And almost half of the inmates at the Alexandria jail are Black people.
High Time for Legalization?
Advocates call on the governor to legalize marijuana as soon as possible.
The debate over legalizing marijuana is about to light up, putting Gov. Ralph Northam at the center of a budding controversy. At issue is a question of timing. Should he agree with lawmakers that legalization should wait until New Years Day 2024, giving the commonwealth enough time to stand up the new Cannabis Control Authority? Or should he amend the bill the General Assembly put on his desk to legalize weed now to prevent communities of color from being overpoliced in the interim?
Incendiary Remarks in West End Fire Investigation
No arrests yet, but fire chief says investigation puts one individual in the hot seat.
Alexandria Fire Chief Adam Thiel stopped short of calling it "arson." But the chief was clear that city officials believe that the person of interest identified by the investigation into last week's six-alarm fire on the West End started the fire on purpose.
Pub Crawl Crackdown
New permitting system designed to help cover public safety expenses.
The turning point for Arlington's burgeoning pub crawl may have been St. Patrick's Day, a time when the Arlington County Police Department found itself swamped by hordes of drunken revelers.
Disproportionate Use of Force
African Americans are often targets of strong-arm tactics by Alexandria police.
Documents outlining use of force by the Alexandria Police Department show force is used against black males more than any other group. In the most recent report, which covers 2019, 54 percent of the instances of use of force was against African Americans. That’s significantly higher than the black population in Alexandria, which is 23 percent.
Community Mourns Lenny Harris
As family and friends gathered to remember slain civic activist, final suspect was being charged.
Even as hundreds gathered at the Charles Houston Recreation Center to remember slain civic activist Lenny Harris, the Prince George’s Police Department was executing a warrant for the arrest of the third and final suspect to be charged with first-degree murder.
Alexandria Cracks Down on Old Town Grocery
Two arrested for selling stolen goods; city officials say investigation is ongoing.
Don’t look for a sign announcing the Old Town Grocery. There isn’t one. But customers and investigators have been flocking to the business in the 800 block of Pendleton Street.
Bipartisan Agreement Forged in House Panel on Reducing Suspended Driver’s Licenses
Republicans work with Cabinet officials to craft changes to let more people keep drivers licenses.
After Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe called on lawmakers to find a way to restore driver's licenses to people charged with crimes that had nothing to do with driving, Republicans responded. Now both sides are crafting a compromise that could end up being a hallmark of the 2017 session.
Civilian Oversight
City Council members to consider creating citizen board to investigate police
Last spring, disparities in law enforcement created a groundswell of support for a new civilian review board in Alexandria, a group that could investigate excessive use of force and abuse of authority. Since that time, the General Assembly passed a new law giving these kinds of bodies authority to subpoena documents and witnesses as well as make binding disciplinary determinations. Now members of the City Council are about to consider several options for what kind of civilian review board they want to create.
Alexandria Police Narrow Scope of Murder Investigations
Homicide detectives now calling Charles Severance "primary focus."
When Linda Robra first met Charles Severance at a Dulles Hilton swing dance in 2011, she could not have known that the man she came to know as "Charlie" would turn her life upside down.
Naked Truth About Strip Searches at Traffic Stops
Northern Virginia Democrat advocates for strip searches to combat opioid crisis.
Deputy Faces Murder Charges
Craig Patterson sat stonefaced in a green jumpsuit as his voice boomed from speakers in the courtroom. Commonwealth's Attorney Randy Sengel pressed a few buttons on his laptop computer, and the 911 call began playing a key piece of evidence in the case against the 44-year-old Arlington County sheriff's deputy who shot and killed Julian Dawkins, a 22-year-old Alexandria man.
Limiting Neck Restraints
Lawmakers negotiate behind closed doors on how to curb police use of chokeholds.
When lawmakers began their special session on criminal justice reform in August, hopes were high that the General Assembly would send the governor a bill that banned police from using chokeholds. But now that the protesters have gone home and the lawmakers have moved behind closed doors to negotiate in a secret closed-door conference committee, advocates for criminal-justice reform are worried about what will emerge in the conference report that will be presented to the House and Senate.
Week in Alexandria
The Alexandria Police Department is charging three California men with conspiracy to import marijuana into Virginia.
Northern Virginia Bill Signing Puts Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence in Spotlight
A rare moment of bipartisanship between Republican governor and Democratic legislators.
Strangulation will be punished more aggressively to combat violence against women. Campus police will work with other police agencies to crack down on domestic violence of unmarried couples. And the telephone number for a human trafficking hotline will be placed in the restrooms at strip clubs across Virginia.
Week in Alexandria
It’s been almost 40 years since the Richard Nixon administration filed a series of lawsuits against property owners along the waterfront.
This Week in Alexandria
Highlights of this week in Alexandria.
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