FCPD Summer Crime Prevention Results; Threat Assessment Unit Created

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Fairfax County police officers assigned to the department’s Summer Crime Prevention Initiative made more than 50 felony arrests in August as part of an effort to address criminal activity in areas of the county where enforcement would be most effective.

Among those felony arrests, officers made 32 felony arrests related to drug possession. County police also made 50 misdemeanor arrests, including driving under the influence and concealed weapons charges, the Fairfax County Police Department said Wednesday.

“Summer Crime Prevention officers sought to drive vehicle-related crimes down through a multipronged approach, which included the use of proactive patrols and increased community engagement,” the FCPD said in a news release Wednesday. “Officers partnered with local businesses, including car dealerships, to provide theft prevention tips and security.”

The FCPD said almost 400 stops of vehicles and pedestrians were made by police during the initiative, with many citations and warnings issued for traffic violations.

This week, the FCPD also announced that its Organized Crime and Intelligence Bureau has launched a new unit responsible for investigating active violence incidents, bomb threats, and coordination of Emergency Substantial Risk Orders, or ESRO.

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An ESRO can be issued by a magistrate or judge when they've found probable cause to believe that a person poses a substantial risk of personal injury to themselves or others in the near future by such person's possession or acquisition of a firearm.

The new unit, called the Threat Assessment and Management Unit, or TAM, will use a proactive and collaborative approach to tracking and preventing potential acts of targeted violence while providing intervention assistance to individuals at risk of mobilizing to violence, police said.

The specialized team is composed of officers and analysts "who possess a unique combination of training in law enforcement and intelligence analysis," the FCPD said. Their main objective will be to identify and mitigate potential threats to the community.

"The TAM Unit is based on national best practices and consists of law enforcement, mental health, and community services personnel from Fairfax County and the Northern Virginia region," police said. "The overall goal will be to ensure the safety of all involved, while respecting individual privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties."

As for the summer crime prevention initiative, the FCPD said it will continue its coordinated efforts to reduce crime through improvements to its strategic prevention and focused enforcement.

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