News

Civil rights icon Joan Mulholland honored at the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington

By Jo DeVoe
1/9

When living civil rights legend Joan Trumpauer Mulholland participated in sit-ins, she carried a Bible with her.

She kept her birth certificate inside “so that they could identify the body,” her son, Loki, said during an event on Saturday at the Black Heritage Museum of Arlington honoring his mother’s activism.

Joan piped up: “I didn’t have a driver’s license or anything like that. So I needed some way for them to know who I am.”

For protesting segregation with lunch counter sit-ins and bus trips known as Freedom Rides, Mulholland was briefly incarcerated in a maximum security prison and hunted by the Ku Klux Klan. In the intervening 60 years, her activism inspired books and documentaries and the creation of the Joan Trumpauer Mulholland Foundation, which provides anti-racist education.

During the event — just shy of the 60th anniversary of a historic sit-in in Jackson, Mississippi, in which Mulholland participated — people gathered at the Columbia Pike museum to hear from her and check out an expanded exhibit with objects from her days as a Freedom Rider.

Just under her Bible, visitors can see memorabilia from the historically Black sorority she joined, Delta Sigma Theta, to advance racial integration.

Nearby is a blue dress she wore during a sit-in at the Woolworth’s in Jackson, Mississippi on May 28, 1963, in which white people attacked her and other Tougaloo College student and faculty demonstrators.

“We want to honor her… because when I talk around and ask people to name some white, anti-racist civil rights leaders, they can’t name anybody but Abe Lincoln, but there’s a lot of them,” museum president Scott Taylor says. “If you don’t know what to do with white privilege, you can look at this right here and she’ll show you.”

Author M. J. O’Brien told attendees that seeing a photo of two demonstrators flanking her — “in all her glory, getting sugar dumped on her, as if she wasn’t sweet enough” — moved him to write a book about the impact of the Jackson Woolworth’s sit-in, “We Shall Not Be Moved.”

Reminiscing, Mulholland said that photo, taken by local newspaper photographer Fred Blackwell, “went worldwide.”

“Back in the days before color photography in the press, it was colorized on the front page above the centerfold of the Paris Match, the most widely read newspaper in Europe,” she recounted.

Mulholland called it “the most integrated picture” of a sit-in, as fellow demonstrators included Anne Moody, a Black woman, and John Hunter Gray, who was of Native American descent.

The Woolworth’s sit-in in Jackson, Mississippi in 1963, taken by photographer Fred Blackwell (via KHSU)

“We didn’t have any Asian-American students at that time in the school, but we had it pretty well-covered,” she said.

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Someone keeps masturbating near the Walter Reed pickleball courts

By ARLnow.com
Pickleball at the Walter Reed Community Center (file photo by Jay Westcott)

Police are on the lookout for a man who has been spotted masturbating multiple times near the Walter Reed pickleball courts.

Cops have been called to the Walter Reed Community Center at 2909 16th Street S. at least two times in the past two weeks, each time in the late morning, according to Arlington County police crime reports.

“At approximately 10:49 a.m. on April 21, police were dispatched to the report of an exposure,” the first crime report said. “Upon arrival, it was determined approximately 30 minutes prior, the reporting party observed the unknown male suspect allegedly masturbating in a wooded area.”

“At approximately 11:42 a.m. on April 26, police were dispatched to the report of an exposure,” said the second. “Upon arrival, it was determined the reporting party observed the unknown male suspect allegedly masturbating by the courts.”

On both days — a Friday and a Wednesday — “responding officers checked the area and the suspect was not located,” ACPD said.

A tipster told ARLnow about a possible third incident, but that could not be immediately confirmed.

“This is concerning as there are many users of the park, including children,” the tipster said about the incidents.

The Walter Reed pickleball courts have recently been the source of some controversy, as some neighbors have opposed voter-approved plans to add more courts outside of the community center.

Resident concerns range from “bullying of our children by pickleball players” to “public urination on playground and sensory garden” to causing “excessive continuous noise from dawn to 10 p.m. every day,” according to a flyer that was distributed around the neighborhood.

Woman slapped, stabbed and robbed near Key Bridge in Rosslyn last night

By ARLnow.com
Police car at night (file photo courtesy Kevin Wolf)

A woman walking near the entrance to the Key Bridge in Rosslyn last night was assaulted, stabbed and then robbed.

Police were dispatched just before 9 p.m., after a 911 caller reported a woman being attacked near some bushes at the Arlington end of the bridge. Arriving officers reported that she had been stabbed and requested medics.

“The preliminary investigation indicates the female victim was walking in the area when the male suspect approached from behind, slapped her buttocks, knocked her to the ground and stabbed her, resulting in lacerations,” Arlington County police said this morning in a crime report.

“The suspect then stole the victim’s backpack and fled the scene on foot,” the crime report continues. “The victim was treated on scene by medics before being transported to an area hospital for injuries considered non-life threatening.”

The stab wound was described as a “superficial” injury to the upper back and shoulder, according to scanner traffic. The suspect reportedly fled down the hill in the direction of the GW Parkway, but police were unable to locate him.

“The suspect is described as a Black male in his 20’s, approximately 6’0” tall and wearing all black,” the crime report said. “A search of the area for the suspect yielded negative results. The investigation is ongoing.”

BREAKING: Katie Cristol stepping down from Arlington County Board to lead Tysons booster org

By ARLnow.com
County Board Chair Katie Cristol in 2022 (via Arlington County)

Arlington County Board member Katie Cristol is stepping down early to take a new job.

Cristol has been selected as the first permanent CEO of the Tysons Community Alliance (TCA), the organization announced this morning. TCA is the successor to the former Tysons Partnership, intended to spur the continued residential and economic growth of the Fairfax County community.

Cristol, who had previously announced that she would not be seeking reelection this year, will be stepping down on July 4 in order to take the new job, the county just announced. A new Board member will be appointed after she leaves.

Though she’ll be working to boost one of Arlington’s primary economic development competitors, Cristol says she’ll remain an Arlington resident.

From a county press release:

Board member Katie Cristol has announced that she will be stepping down from her role on the Arlington County Board, effective July 4, 2023.

“Though arriving a little sooner than anticipated, this transition is every bit the same opportunity to share my deep gratitude to the Arlington community: For the privilege to represent you and for the partnership in achieving new policies, directions, and plans for our shared future,” Cristol said. “In my nearly seven and a half years in office, I have developed an immense appreciation for the dedication of Arlington’s appointed and elected officials and its civic, neighborhood, philanthropic, and private sector leaders. Though I will miss our collaborative partnerships, I feel great optimism about the County’s future under their stewardship.”

Board member Cristol was elected to the County Board in November 2015 and served as the Board’s chair in 2018 and 2022. During that time, she led in advancing human services and sustainable regional public transit networks through partnerships such as Arlington’s Project PEACE, the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, the Virginia Railway Express Operations Board, and the Virginia Municipal League. Cristol is ending her tenure early to become the Chief Executive Officer of Tysons Community Alliance, a new non-profit public-private partnership promoting equitable economic growth and community development in the Tysons area.

“My colleagues join me in thanking Katie Cristol for her tireless service and expert leadership as a Member of the County Board.” Chair Christian Dorsey said. “She has been a trusted colleague and a distinguished leader on regional bodies representing Arlington. Her contributions to our collective efforts to increase opportunities for all Arlingtonians to thrive, while dismantling and reforming systems that cause them harm, have been profound and will have a lasting impact on our community. We will miss her over the last half of this year, yet we wish her well in her upcoming leadership opportunity and are grateful for her service on behalf of us all.”

Cristol adds that, as she transitions from the County Board, “I am looking forward to continuing to serve our dynamic Northern Virginia region in my new role and to maintaining the title most important to me: Arlington resident.”

Pursuant to Virginia Code 15.2-705, the Arlington County Board must fill Board member Cristol’s vacancy by appointment within 30 days of her departure date of July 4. The Board will hold a public hearing to appoint a new member who will serve the remainder of Cristol’s term, which ends on December 31, 2023.

Cristol is in her second term on the Board, after first being elected in 2015. She previously worked as an education consultant.

In a statement released on social media, Cristol called her early departure from the Board “more than a little bittersweet.”

The Tysons Community Alliance press release is below.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A computer repair shop’s signage in Clarendon (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

More Victims of Teen Groper — “As a result of the ongoing investigation, the Special Victims Unit obtained six additional petitions for Assault and Battery for the juvenile suspect. The petitions stem from four incidents occurring in November and December 2022 in which the suspect approached women from behind and grabbed their buttocks. The investigation into this series of assaults is ongoing.” [ACPD]

Realtors Endorse Board Candidates — “The Northern Virginia Association of Realtors (NVAR) has endorsed three of the six candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for Arlington County Board. Maureen Coffey, J.D. Spain Sr. and Tony Weaver have won the organization’s nod, a spokesperson for the real-estate trade organization said.” [Gazette Leader]

Historical Marker’s Wording Questioned — “A proposed historical marker highlighting the contributions of a regiment of the U.S. Colored Troops during the Civil War merits approval but is not yet ready for prime time. That was the consensus of the Arlington government’s Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board, which has sent verbiage proposed by county staff back for more work before a marker is constructed and placed at Fort Ethan Allen Park in the county’s northernmost reaches.” [Gazette Leader]

Big Turkey on TR Island — “Thanks to Carol for sharing this magnificent shot from Theodore Roosevelt Island.” [PoPville]

YHS Girls on a Roll — “In girls soccer, the defending Class 6 state champion Yorktown Patriots continued to have a strong season as they began the week with an 8-1 overall record, a seven-match winning streak, four shutouts and a 2-0 mark in the Liberty District. Yorktown’s most recent victories were over Herndon, 4-1, and Wakefield, 3-0, in district contests.” [Gazette Leader]

It’s Tuesday — Overcast with some sprinkles. Cool. High of 54 and low of 43. Sunrise at 6:09 am and sunset at 8:01 pm. [Weather.gov]

ACPD: ART bus driver seriously hurt after being assaulted by rider

By ARLnow.com
ART bus (file photo)

An ART bus driver suffered serious injuries last night after being assaulted by a rider along Columbia Pike, police say.

The driver was reported to be bleeding from the mouth when police and medics were dispatched to the intersection of Columbia Pike and S. Dinwiddie Street just after 10:45 p.m. Sunday. It’s unclear what led to the attack.

The suspect was “leaving a public transit bus when he assaulted the driver,” according to today’s Arlington County Police Department crime report. “Following the assault, the suspect exited the bus and fled the scene on foot. The bus driver sustained serious, non-life threatening injuries and was treated on scene by medics before being transported to an area hospital.”

Also in today’s crime report, several security guards were hurt at the Pentagon City mall Friday evening after a suspect tried to steal handbags, then fought the security guards and brandished a knife.

The incident happened on the third level of the mall near the entrance to Macy’s, according to scanner traffic.

From ACPD:

ATTEMPTED MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 2023-04280202, 1100 block of S. Hayes Street. At approximately 6:17 p.m. on April 28, a patrol officer was flagged down by an individual reporting a fight in-progress. Upon arrival, the officer observed loss prevention attempting to detain the suspect and assisted with taking him into custody. The investigation determined the suspect entered the store and allegedly removed handbags from a display case. A loss prevention officer then confronted the suspect who pushed the loss prevention officer to the ground and physically assaulted him before fleeing the area. Two additional loss prevention officers located the suspect outside of the business and attempted to detain him, during which the suspect assaulted them and brandished a knife. Medics evaluated the loss prevention officers on scene for minor injuries. During a search incident to arrest, credit cards not belonging to the suspect were recovered. [The suspect], 30, of Washington, DC, was arrested and charged with Attempted Malicious Wounding, Robbery, Assault and Battery (x2), Credit Card Theft (x3) and Possession of Burglarious Tools.

More than 1,000 people received homelessness services last year in Arlington

By Jo DeVoe
A sleeping bag and roll of toilet paper in an alcove of the elevated walkway in Rosslyn (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Arlington County says it provided assistance to 1,070 people who were experiencing homelessness or at risk of losing housing last year.

This number is five times higher than the number of people found living outside or in a shelter one night in January 2022. One night last winter, as part of the “point-in-time” count, 182 people did not have permanent, stable housing, according to a new report on homelessness in Arlington.

The recently released report says the larger figure more accurately captures the portion of the population experiencing homelessness in Arlington.

In a statement, Arlington County Dept. of Human Services Director Anita Friedman said that, without Covid-era eviction prevention efforts, the number of people who received services would have been higher.

“The total number of individuals served in FY 2022 was almost identical to pre-pandemic levels,” Friedman said. “Without strong eviction prevention efforts, we would have seen many more households upended and in crisis.”

Some $20 million in local, state and federal funding helped more than 3,400 households stave off eviction, according to the county.

The report comes as Arlington County embarks on a goal to bringing homelessness down to what it calls “functional zero” for several specific demographics. That means homelessness is “rare and brief” for a given population, such as young adults, families and survivors of domestic violence.

“For those households that do experience homelessness, it is traumatic, and we remain committed to working alongside them as they return to housing stability,” Friedman said. “We will also continue to address critical gaps, including in the areas of racial equity, immigrant and refugee households, and the aging population.”

Arlington County addresses homelessness through a network of programs and services it calls the Continuum of Care, or CoC. The report says that DHS staff and nonprofit program leaders have spent the last 10 years improving how the CoC prevents homelessness and finds permanent housing for people.

For instance, through the CoC, county and community partners work together to connect people to stable housing, jobs, childcare and emergency financial assistance, and provide behavioral health services to people living on the streets — a service that helped 65 people last year.

What homelessness looks like in Arlington

Of the 1,070 who received services through the CoC, there were:

  • 744 single adults
  • 105 families
  • 36 veterans
  • 74 young people aged 18-24
  • 192 people in “chronic homelessness,” or individuals with a documented disability who have experienced at least 12 months of homelessness in one stretch or at least four times in less than three years

Excluding people in Arlington’s shelter for people escaping domestic violence, run by the nonprofit Doorways, 305 people were served in Arlington shelters. This includes 13 veterans and 25 chronically homeless individuals. The average length of stay was three months.

Meanwhile, the county report says demand for safe housing among domestic violence survivors — including individuals and families — is increasing.

Rising need for safe housing from domestic violence is on the rise (via Arlington County)

While some 165 people received shelter at Doorways, the number of people who called its hotline was much higher: advocates counseled people on domestic and sexual violence during a total of 1,039 calls, per the report. Most of the time, people leaving these situations are women.

“Domestic violence is one of the leading causes of homelessness for families, and the leading cause of homelessness for women,” the report says.

Women are also more likely to be at the head of a family experiencing homelessness, per the report. Of the families counted one night in January, women were the adult in the family 95% of the time.

Meanwhile, 78% of homeless individuals were men and 1% identified as transgender.

Gender of people surveyed in the 2022 point-in-time count (via Arlington County)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A man walks by a rain-covered coffee shop window in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Group Wants More Long DCA Flights — “A coalition of business groups on Thursday launched a campaign to increase long-distance service at Reagan National Airport, arguing that rules limiting the number of flights and the distance they travel are outdated and are hurting consumers and the local economy.” [Washington Post]

Car Slams Into Glebe Guardrail — From Friday: “Roads are slick after all of today’s rain. Reader J.H. sends this photo of a car that just ran off N. Glebe Road on the hill approaching Chain Bridge.” [Twitter]

Teens Apprehended in Crystal City — “At approximately 11:29 p.m. on April 27, police were dispatched to the report of a vehicle tampering. Upon arrival, it was determined a witness observed two juvenile suspects allegedly pulling on door handles and looking into parked vehicles. Responding officers located the suspects in the area and took them into custody without incident.” [ACPD]

Video of GW Parkway Protest — “Climate activists blocked the GW Parkway… on Wednesday morning during rush hour to demand President Biden declare a ‘climate emergency’ and cancel new fossil fuel drilling. ‘I have an interview today, are you serious?’ yelled one angry driver, who said she’s unemployed. ‘That’s not fair! This is the wrong way to go about it!'” [Twitter]

Who Should Conduct Assessments? — “For much of her nearly 20 years as an elected official, Arlington Commissioner of Revenue Ingrid Morroy has believed the county government is making a mistake in allowing one of its departments, rather than her office, to oversee the annual assessment of residential and commercial properties. And as Morroy begins transitioning to the end of her last term in December, she appears more convinced of it than ever.” [Gazette Leader]

Opening for Affordable Apartments — “AHC Inc., a leading developer of affordable housing in Maryland and Virginia, today held its grand opening of The Terraces at Arlington View, a $40.8 million redevelopment of an affordable housing community located on the eastern end of Columbia Pike, at 1420 S. Rolfe Street. The Terraces includes 77 affordable apartments and more than doubles the number of homes from the previous building.” [Press Release]

Shots Fired in F.C. Jewelry Store — “City of Falls Church police are investigating an incident at a jewelry store in the 1100 block of W. Broad Street that resulted in no injuries and nothing stolen. Police responded to the business at about 8:10 p.m. on Friday, April 28. Surveillance footage shows a black Cadillac parking in front of the business. One person exited the vehicle and used a sledge hammer to break a storefront glass window. Four more people exited the vehicle and entered the business. Two shots were fired, and the suspects fled in the vehicle.” [City of Falls Church]

It’s May — A clear start to the morning, then increasing cloudiness and, later, a chance of light rain. Cool. High of 59 and low of 46. Sunrise at 6:10 am and sunset at 8:00 pm. [Weather.gov]

JUST IN: Arlington man charged with killing infant

By ARLnow.com
Jerard Hargrove mugshot (courtesy ACPD)

A 29-year-old Arlington man has been charged in the death of a three-month-old girl last fall.

Jerard Hargrove is charged with homicide and child abuse after a medical examiner this month determined that the child died from a blow to the head.

The child died in the hospital on Oct. 8, 2022, after being found unresponsive at a residence in the Columbia Forest neighborhood a month earlier, on Sept. 1. The medical examiner’s finding brings the number of homicides in Arlington last year to two.

More, below, from an Arlington County police press release.

The Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit is announcing charges have been obtained in a 2022 infant death investigation. Jerard Hargrove, 29, of Arlington, VA, was arrested and charged with Homicide and Child Abuse/Neglect (x2). He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

At approximately 7:22 a.m. on September 1, 2022, police were dispatched to the 1000 block of S. Frederick Street for the report of cardiac arrest involving a 3-month-old female infant. Upon arrival, Mr. Hargrove reported he was home with the infant when he located her unresponsive. Medics treated the infant on scene before transporting her to an area hospital. The infant remained hospitalized and died on October 8, 2022.

A death investigation was then initiated by the Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit. In April 2023, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the manner of death a homicide with cause being complications of blunt force injury to the head. Indictments for Mr. Hargrove were subsequently presented to and returned by a grand jury.

The identity of the deceased is being withheld in accordance with Virginia Code § 19.2-11.2 which limits Virginia law enforcement agencies from directly or indirectly identifying deceased juvenile victims of a crime.

This remains an active criminal investigation and anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Arlington County Police Department’s Homicide/Robbery Unit at 703-228-4180 or [email protected]. Information may also be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). For additional community resources and contact information, visit our website.

Arlington doc indicted by feds for alleged pill scheme

By ARLnow.com
Gavel (Flickr photo by Joe Gratz)

An Arlington doctor is facing federal charges after a grand jury indicted her for the illicit distribution of opioid pills.

Dr. Kirsten Ball is facing nearly a dozen counts of charges related to oxycodone distribution. Federal prosecutors say she and her office manager, who was convicted and sentenced last year, conspired to dispense “vast quantities of oxycodone to her patients — contrary to ordinary standards of medical care.”

One patient received prescriptions for “as many as 360 oxycodone 30-mg tablets per month,” while another received a prescription to treat “long-term pain” while they were performing “manual labor on Ball’s home,” according to a press release.

The charges potentially could land Ball, 68, in prison for decades. Despite the allegations, reviews of her care on a doctor rating website are generally positive.

“Very caring, affirmative, straight forward yet, gentle approach to health care,” wrote one patient. “If you need a professional physician, with a comforting approach, Dr. Ball is a great choice!”

Arlington has been hard hit by the national opioid crisis. There were more than 70 fatal opioid overdoses here between 2015 and 2020, according to Arlington County Police Department statistics. The crisis has also infiltrated local schools, with the fatal in-school overdose of a Wakefield High School student this year helping to spur action by Arlington County and Arlington Public Schools.

The press release about the indictment is below.

A federal grand jury returned an indictment this week charging an Arlington doctor with distributing tens of thousands of oxycodone pills for almost a decade for no legitimate medical reason.

According to allegations in the indictment, Kirsten Van Steenberg Ball, 68, was a primary care physician who operated a medical practice out of her home in Arlington. Ball allegedly conspired with her office manager to shield the fact that she was dispensing vast quantities of oxycodone to her patients—contrary to ordinary standards of medical care—from law enforcement and regulatory authorities.

The indictment alleges that Ball’s office manager, Candie Marie Calix, 40, of Front Royal, used an alias to disguise the fact that Calix was, herself, a patient of Ball. According to the indictment, Ball allegedly prescribed her office manager approximately 50,000 oxycodone pills over a period of approximately 10 years.

The indictment further alleges that the Virginia Department of Health Professions (DHP) investigated Ball twice: once in 2015 and once in 2021. Despite the two investigations, Ball did not change her prescribing practices. According to the indictment, examples of Ball’s prescriptions include the following:

  • Prescribing a patient as many as 360 oxycodone 30-mg tablets per month;
  • Prescribing similarly high quantities of oxycodone to close family members;
  • Paying a patient to perform manual labor on Ball’s home while concurrently prescribing the patient oxycodone, ostensibly for long-term pain;
  • Loaning a patient $40,000 while concurrently prescribing the patient oxycodone;
  • Continuing to prescribe oxycodone to patients after they failed drug screens.

Ball is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, and 21 counts of distribution of oxycodone. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Calix was sentenced to seven years in prison on September 28, 2022, for conspiring to distribute oxycodone.

Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh is prosecuting the case.

After extensive training, Arlington’s Community Oversight Board is ready to hear complaints about police

By Jo DeVoe
Independent Policing Auditor Mummi Ibrahim during an Arlington County Board meeting on Tuesday, April 25 (via Arlington County)

Arlington County’s Community Oversight Board and Independent Policing Auditor can now, officially, begin investigating community complaints about police officers.

The incremental step took place on Tuesday after the Arlington County Board approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the oversight board, or COB, and the Arlington County Police Department.

Now, it will begin doing community outreach so people know the oversight board exists and they can reach out if they have a complaint.

County Board members indicated reaching this point required a lot of hard work.

During the meeting, Board Member Katie Cristol thanked ACPD and the oversight board for finalizing their agreement, “which I know was not always the easiest project.”

The MOU outlines what the oversight board can do and how ACPD shares records and data. The board can review public complaints, incidents where police used force and internal investigations. It can then produce reports and make policy recommendations based on this work.

“We have a lot of work to do but what we set out in the Memorandum of Understanding and the work we’ve done so far gives us good marching orders to get started with this very important work,” Independent Policing Auditor Mummi Ibrahim said.

The milestone comes nearly two years after the Arlington County Board approved the creation of the oversight board with subpoena power — a hotly contested authority. Arlington’s Police Practices Work Group, convened after the killing of George Floyd at the hands of police, recommended an oversight board with this power.

This COB has seven voting members and two non-voting seats, of which one is currently vacant. Over 100 residents applied to fill a seat and inaugural members were appointed in March 2022.

“We are very, very lucky to have a cross-section of people with different personal, professional, social, family and economic backgrounds supporting us,” said COB Chair Julie Evans. “It has made for valuable dialogue amongst ourselves about how to organize for this body and how to best serve the Arlington community in the interest of the ordinance vision.”

Ibrahim was hired shortly after, though a veto from Gov. Glenn Youngkin — upheld in a party-line legislative vote — kept her from reporting directly to the County Board. That was intended to give her more independence to issue her own reports. Instead, she and the police department both report to County Manager Mark Schwartz.

When they were not hammering out the MOU, the volunteer board members were training.

Ibrahim said the Arlington oversight board is “probably the most highly trained COB in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and I think it’s fair to say, in the nation.”

Collectively, members completed 450 hours of training, including eight hours of ACPD tactical training at the Northern Virginia Training Academy and nine ACPD training courses.

“That was the bulk of our time last year,” Evans said. “While it was very demanding, it was very valuable and will serve us well in sort of creating a root of this work in understanding how ACPD is set up to operate now.”

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