September 2026

---

Traffic Safety: Every Decision Matters

As we move into the fall, I want to take a moment to highlight an issue that is becoming increasingly concerning across Fairfax County: the rise in fatal traffic crashes. As of August 31, 28 people had lost their lives in traffic crashes investigated by the Fairfax County Police Department in 2026—double the 14 fatalities recorded at the same point last year. Those deaths include 16 vehicle-related fatalities and 12 pedestrian fatalities. Behind every one of those numbers is a person, a family, and a community forever changed.

Our Crash Reconstruction detectives continue to see many of the same contributing behaviors in serious and fatal crashes, including speeding, impaired driving, distraction and cell phone use, and unsafe pedestrian crossings. These are behaviors that all of us can help prevent. With schools back in session and more children, pedestrians, bicyclists, buses, and vehicles sharing our roads, I am asking everyone in the Franconia District to make traffic safety a priority. Slow down. Put the phone away. Never drive impaired. Wear your seat belt. Watch carefully for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorcycles, and children. If you are walking, remain alert, make yourself visible, and use designated crossings whenever possible. Additionally, I am asking drivers to obey parking laws, which help keep sightlines clear and protect pedestrians and bicyclists. Parking too close to crosswalks, blocking bike lanes, or double parking can make it more difficult for drivers to see vulnerable roadway users and can force pedestrians or bicyclists into unsafe situations. If you see violations, please call our non-emergency number at 703-691-2131.

You may also see Franconia District officers in some of our heavily traveled pedestrian areas handing out reflective armbands and pedestrian safety reminders. These small interactions are another way we hope to encourage safer habits and help our pedestrians remain visible, particularly as the days begin to get shorter.

Our officers will continue working to identify dangerous driving behaviors and conduct traffic enforcement throughout the district, but enforcement alone cannot prevent every tragedy. The choices each of us makes behind the wheel—or while walking near a roadway—can save a life.

Please help us look out for one another and make the Franconia District a safer place for everyone who travels through our community.

Major Deanna Weand

---

Click on an underlined heading to go directly to that section of the newsletter. Click 'Back to Table of Contents' to return here.

• Commander's Message
  
  • Traffic Safety: Every Decision Matters
  • Pedestrian Safety 
• Franconia Need to Know
  • The LPR Success Story
• Officer of the Month

  • LPR Alert Results in Arrest of Wanted Felons

• FCPD Information Releases - Franconia-related News
  
  • Detectives Unmask Suspect Behind Lorton “Scream” Destruction Spree
  • Caught in the Chat: Undercover Operation Leads to 9 Arrests
  • Body-Worn Camera Footage following Non-Fatal Officer-Involved Shooting
  • Community Tip Leads to 18 Charges in Burglary Investigation
  • Road Shark Wave 3 Takes Its Biggest Bite Yet
  • Class Is Back in Session: FCPD Shares Back-to-School Safety Tips
  • Officers Arrest Franconia Peeper and Seek Additional Victims
  • 20 Years Later, the Search for Justice Continues in the ‘Marion’ Murders
• Traffic Safety Matters
  • School Safety Week
  • Child Passenger Safety

• Crime Prevention and Community Outreach
  • Crime Prevention Presentations - CRASE, Scams, Assessments
• Community Advisory Committee
  
  • September Meeting featuring Drone Program
• Crime Reporting
  
  • Franconia District Crime Report - August
• FCPD Crime Data
  • Crime Data Portal
  • How to Provide Tips - Crime Solvers
• Inside Franconia Station
  
  • Links to Inside Franconia Station Items
• Recruiting - JoinFCPD

---

The LPR Success Story

Automated License Plate Readers (LPR) have been an important FCPD asset since the program began in November 2022. Operated by the Realtime Crime Center (RTCC), LPRs have significantly enhanced investigative capability and helped solve hundreds of complex cases. LPR Success Stories and recent LPR statistics give a snapshot of the value that the cameras and their supporting software provide.

Here is how the LPR system works:

• The LPR system uses fixed, trailer-mounted, and mobile cameras from Axon, Flock Safety and Motorola in an integrated framework.
• Images are captured of vehicles that are in public view and create an identifying profile of the vehicle. The profile can include license plate number/state and vehicle type, make, model and color.
• The data is transmitted to the RTCC and automatically checked against alert lists for such things as stolen vehicles, stolen license plates, active warrants, vehicles involved in felony crimes, and vehicles associated with missing persons. Custom alerts may be used for a vehicle involved in a recent crime and not yet entered in crime databases.
• Data is retained for 21 days in accordance with Virginia law and FCPD General Orders. The data can be searched using the elements in the vehicle profile. All searches must be tied to a valid law enforcement purpose, such as a criminal investigation or missing person case. Access to LPR systems is restricted to trained and authorized personnel.
• All LPR searches are logged, tracked, and subject to regular audit and oversight.
• LPR data is not used for immigration enforcement purposes.
• FCPD does not grant federal law enforcement agencies or agencies outside the Commonwealth of Virginia access to LPR data without a court order.

Additional information on the LPR program is available on the RTCC website.

Back to Table of Contents

LPR Alert Results in Arrest of Wanted Felons

Franconia District Station's Officer of the Month is Detective Andrew Cox. Currently assigned to the Shopping Center Units at the Springfield Town Center, he consistently shows a high level of dedication and productivity.  During the month of August, Detective Cox coordinated the efforts of his fellow Shopping Center Unit officers and also Franconia Patrol officers to take two wanted subjects into custody.

The Shopping Center Units received a stolen license plate alert at the onset of their shift. While these alerts are sometimes ruled out as noncriminal, or administrative issues, this case proved different. Detectives quickly looked up LPR images of the vehicle bearing the stolen license plate from before and after the license plate was stolen, which showed definitively that the vehicle on property was not the original registered vehicle.

Detective Cox quickly found the vehicle, coordinated arriving units to stage for a box-in, and began surveillance. The box-in was initiated when two masked individuals entered the vehicle. The stolen vehicle reversed into Detective Cox's marked police car, then accelerated forward ramming and coming to rest on another marked police car.  Once the subjects determined that they could not escape in the vehicle they attempted to flee on foot.  Detective Cox chased the vehicle driver as he fled and after a short distance was able to take him into custody. The passenger was captured a short time later by supporting Shopping Center Units and Patrol Units.  The identities of the driver and passenger were determined, and it was found that they had over two dozen outstanding warrants from multiple jurisdictions in the area.  It was also found that the vehicle they were driving was stolen as well as the license plates.  In total, the subjects had 31 warrants served on them.

While this incident's overall success was from the combined efforts of several officers, Detective Cox quarterbacked and coordinated the efforts of all units to box-in, pursue, and apprehend these wanted felons.

Back toTable of Contents