Police Week

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Ballston Quarter at twilight (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Poll: D.C. Residents Prefer Alexandria — A poll on Twitter with more than 1,000 respondents shows D.C. residents saying they’re prefer to live in Alexandria over Arlington, if they had to choose, by a ratio of nearly 2:1. [Twitter]

ACPD Lays Wreaths at Memorial — “Following the Observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day, ACPD’s Honor Guard laid wreaths at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in recognition of Arlington’s seven heroic officers who have died in the line of duty. The memorial features the names of more than 22,000 federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice for the safety and protection of our nation. We are committed to never forgetting their sacrifices in service to their communities.” [Facebook]

Roads in Rosslyn Closing for Police 5K — “The 2022 National Police Week 5k will take place on Saturday, May 14, 2022.  The Arlington County Police Department will conduct the following road closures to accommodate the event.” [ACPD]

Reminder: Expect Police Motorcades — “Police Week is scheduled from Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17. Most of the scheduled activities will take place Thursday through Sunday, though the arrival of families of fallen officers on Wednesday and Thursday will prompt many of the motorcades and rolling road closures.” [ARLnow]

Dems Honor Longtime Volunteer — “The recipient of the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s highest accolade for longtime service says she is pleased that the party continues to expand in both size and scope. ‘With more people doing more things, our organization is more complex than ever,’ Inta Malis said during a May 10 online event sponsored by Arlington Senior Democrats.” [Sun Gazette]

TV Station Honors Arlington Nurses — “As 7News celebrates the third day of Nurses Week, we salute the men and women of VHC Health in Northern Virginia. The community hospital in Arlington is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network and is a designated Magnet hospital, one of the highest group honors for a hospital.” [WJLA]

Startup Founder Helping Refugees — “As the clock struck 11 p.m. on March 19, Yulia Yaani gathered a group of Ukrainian refugees at the Polish border. She stepped onto the bus that night, alongside roughly 50 women and children, and they traveled to Denmark for the next 17 hours — to escape the war with Russia… Yaani is co-founder and CEO of Arlington fintech [company] RealAtom, a 5-year-old startup.” [Washington Business Journal]

Kiwanis Donate to Ukraine Efforts — “The Kiwanis Club of Arlington has donated $5,000 to the World Central Kitchen (WCK) to assist with relief efforts in Ukraine. Proceeds from the club’s fund-raising activities, including its annual blueberry sale, are being used to support the WCK with their meals programs on the ground in Ukraine and in surrounding countries.” [Sun Gazette]

It’s Thursday — Mostly cloudy and cool throughout the day, with a slight chance of rain. High of 68 and low of 58. Sunrise at 6:00 am and sunset at 8:12 pm. [Weather.gov]

Next week’s Police Week events will again bring motorcades to Arlington

By ARLnow.com
Police Week motorcade in Crystal City on Oct. 12, 2021 (Photo courtesy Ryan Radford)

Next week marks the start of National Police Week in D.C. and Arlington can expect plenty of motorcades and busy hotels as a result.

The annual week-long event was last held in October, after being delayed due to the pandemic. It’s now back to its usual timeslot in the spring and may be a particularly large event this year.

“Police Week this year is going to be huge,” a tipster tells ARLnow. “After not having in 20 or 21 and an abbreviated one in Fall of 21 and a large number of Covid deaths, there will be huge participation.”

“Several Arlington hotels are base camps for the families,” the person noted.

Police Week is scheduled from Wednesday, May 11 through Tuesday, May 17. Most of the scheduled activities will take place Thursday through Sunday, though the arrival of families of fallen officers on Wednesday and Thursday will prompt many of the motorcades and rolling road closures.

Arlington County will hold its own observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day this coming Tuesday. The event, held in Courthouse, is open to the public.

More from an ACPD press release, below.

The Arlington County Police Department and the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office will gather to honor and pay tribute to the memory of the seven law enforcement officers of Arlington County who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our community. This solemn ceremony is held each year ahead of National Police Week which recognizes those law enforcement officers throughout the United States who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others and provides support to their survivors.

Observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day

Members of the public and the media are invited to attend the Observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day.

Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Time: 8:00 a.m.

Location: Arlington County Justice Center Plaza located at 1425 North Courthouse Road

Road Closure: North Courthouse Road will be closed between 14th Street N. and 15th Street N. from approximately 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. to accommodate the event.

About National Police Week

In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls, as National Police Week. It is a dedicated time to honor and remember the officers who have given their lives in the line of duty, and recognize the sacrifices made by the families of those officers. National Police Week occurs each May and will be observed from May 11 – 17, 2022.

Police Week is organized by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Fraternal Order of Police/Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary (FOP/FOPA) and the Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) and supported by law enforcement agencies across the country. The public can expect to see an increase in law enforcement activity in Arlington and the region as police agencies from around the country escort survivors to National Police Week events. An increased presence of police vehicles with activated emergency equipment around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and nearby hotels is anticipated.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Crystal City Apartment Building Sold — “A Crystal City residential property within blocks of Amazon’s planned HQ2 campus has sold for $228 million, more than double what it last sold for a decade prior, according to Arlington County property records.” [Washington Business Journal]

It’s National Police Week — Law enforcement officers from around the country and the world are in the D.C. area for National Police Week. The annual series of events is held to honor officers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. As in years past, Arlington County Police motorcycle officers are assisting with the numerous motorcades associated with Police Week. [Twitter]

Free Cone Day Today — Häagen-Dazs is holding its annual Free Cone Day today (Tuesday) from 4-8 p.m. Among other nearby locations, a locally-owned Häagen-Dazs franchise store is located in the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall. [Häagen-Dazs]

Crashes During Monday’s Rain — A number of crashes were reported Monday morning, amid persistant rain. Among them were a crash with entrapment at Military Road and Lorcom Lane, and a reported car vs. tree collision at Route 50 and S. Columbus Street. [Twitter]

School Board Member Donating Kidney — “Arlington School Board Vice Chairman Tannia Talento will be out of commission for several weeks, as she is donating a kidney to a sister. Speaking at the May 9 School Board meeting, Talento said preparing for, undergoing and recuperating from surgery will cause her to miss some end-of-school-year events, but ‘I hope it is amazing and wonderful,’ she said of the last weeks of the 2018-19 year.” [InsideNova]

Arlington Law Enforcement Commemorates Fallen Officers

By Vernon Miles
1/15

Local and international police departments came together at Justice Center Plaza (1425 N. Courthouse Road) this morning (Friday) to commemorate the seven Arlington police officers who died in the line of duty.

“We’re here for a show of compassion and solidarity to those who are no longer with us,” said Arlington Police Chief Jay Farr. “There is a unique sense here — a kindred spirit that brings us together.”

The names of the officers, and the circumstances of their deaths, were read aloud as roses were placed at their memorial. The most recent was Corporal Harvey Snook III, who died in 2016 as a result of cancer contracted from rescue and recovery operations at the Pentagon following the 9/11 attacks.

After the names were read, Deputy Anne Nardolilli performed an original song called “More Than a Name,” celebrating the lives of the fallen officers.

Police, County Leaders Pause to Remember Arlington’s Seven Fallen Officers

By Alex Koma
1/14

Seven Arlington County police officers have died in the line of duty over the last 83 years, and county law enforcement and civic leaders took a few moments to remember their sacrifice Friday (May 11).

The county held its annual observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day at the Arlington County Justice Center Plaza (1425 N. Courthouse Road), inviting dozens of law enforcement officers and Arlington leaders to pay tribute to fallen officers across the country.

Participants in the ceremony offered wreaths and roses at the county’s monument to its officers who have died on the job, with a special observance for Corporal Harvey Snook, who died of cancer he contracted while working in recovery efforts at the Pentagon in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The son of Officer George Pomraning, who was shot to death while bringing a prisoner to jail on Sept. 2, 1973, also attended the ceremony.

County Police Chief M. Jay Farr urged attendees to consider what more they can do to prevent the killing of police, putting a particular focus on one of the leading causes of line of duty deaths: gun violence.

“Many officers who are shot are dealing with people who are not of sound mind,” Farr said. “We all need to think about what we can do to address this growing national mental health crisis.”

Yet Craig Floyd, CEO of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, suggested that the country as a whole was making some progress in that area. He pointed out that the 129 officers to died on the job in 2017 represented the second-smallest figure since 1959.

“We’ve done a lot, but we have a long way to go,” Floyd said.

The county ceremony coincides with the start of National Police Week, a series of events around D.C. from May 13-19 to honor fallen officers. A full schedule of events is available online.

Law Enforcement Cyclists Kick Off Police Week in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com

Hundreds of federal and local law enforcement officers completed a 240-mile memorial bicycle ride in Pentagon City today.

The officers, accompanied by dozens of police cars and motorcycles from law enforcement agencies across the country, completed the annual Road to Hope bike ride on Eads Street, in front of the DEA building. A crowd of DEA employees and the agency’s Black and Gold Pipes and Drums Corps greeted the riders, who were clad in matching red, white and blue bike gear.

The ride, sponsored by the group Law Enforcement United, honors “the service and sacrifice of all law enforcement officers that have died in the line of duty.” After the stop in front of the DEA building, around 3:00 p.m., the cyclists headed to the Pentagon to pay their respects at the Pentagon Memorial.

The event marks the beginning of National Police Week in the D.C. area. See more photos after the jump.

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National Police Week Begins

By ARLnow.com

Those groups of motorcycle cops you see going up and down I-395? The random street closures in South Arlington? Police cruisers from jurisdictions far, far away from here? All are signs that National Police Week has begun in the nation’s capital.

Several Police Week-related events were held in Pentagon City today.

The Drug Enforcement Administration held its annual memorial service at its headquarters this morning. Three agents who were killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan last fall were honored at the event, which included a speech by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.

Later, bicyclists from the inaugural Law Enforcement United Memorial Ride stopped outside DEA headquarters for a short service that included a performance by a group of police bagpipers and drummers.

The riders — more than 200 in number — were then escorted by dozens of police motorcycles over to the Pentagon Memorial for another service.

National Police Week will conclude on Monday.

1/19