police

Turn in Unwanted Prescriptions at Drug Take-Back Day

By Katie Pyzyk

It’s time again to gather up any old prescriptions lying around the house and turn them in for proper disposal. Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

Expired and unwanted prescriptions can be brought to sites throughout the county to prevent drug abuse and theft. It’s also an effort to prevent hazards from the improper disposal of these drugs, such as in the trash or flushing down a toilet. The service is free and there are no questions asked.

There are several sites throughout Arlington collecting the drugs from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., in addition to those announced by the Arlington County Police Department last week. Here is the full list:

  • Arlington Fire Station #1, 500 S. Glebe Road
  • Arlington Fire Station #8, 4845 Lee Highway
  • Arlington Fire Station #9, 1900 S. Walter Reed Drive
  • Pentagon parking lot, 551 Army Navy Drive
  • Ft. Myer Post Exchange, 104 McNair Road

The following site will be operating on Friday, from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. It will not hold hours on Saturday:

  • Arlington Hall Station Building 1, 111 S. George Mason Drive

Police, Fire Departments Holding Career Fair

By Katie Pyzyk

 

There will be a career fair on Saturday aimed at anyone interested in working for one of the county’s law enforcement or fire fighting agencies.

Recruiters will be on hand from Arlington County Fire Department, Police Department, Sheriff’s Department and Emergency Communications Center. Candidates can learn about public safety jobs, get information about available positions and sign up for hiring notifications.

There are certain requirements candidates must meet in order to apply. Those interested in jobs with the ECC or fire department must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or G.E.D., and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Candidates for the sheriff’s department must meet the same requirements, but need to be 20.5 years old. Those interested in police work must be 20.5 years old, must be a U.S. citizen, and must have either 60 college credits or law enforcement or military experience.

The career fair will take place at Washington Lee High School from 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Crime Report: Smells Like a Sex Crime Edition

By ARLnow.com

Arlington’s month-long streak of men seen performing lewd acts in public places continued this past weekend.

On Sunday, the loss prevention manager of a pharmacy on Columbia Pike spotted a young man masturbating in the store’s perfume aisle, according to Arlington County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck.

From this week’s Arlington County crime report.

INDECENT EXPOSURE, 04/22/12, 5000 block of S. Columbia Pike. On April 22 at 8:15 pm, an unknown male subject was seen by an employee of the store masturbating in one of the store aisles. The suspect fled the scene and is described as a Hispanic male, approximately 23-28 years old. He was wearing blue jeans and a black jacket at the time of the incident.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

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UPDATED: Suspect Steals ACPD Cruiser on I-66

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:20 p.m.) An Arlington County Police cruiser was stolen during a stop on I-66 today, leading to a police chase.

The incident started around noon when an officer in a marked ACPD cruiser stopped to assist Virginia State Police who had stopped a pedestrian on I-66 in Prince William County. A struggle ensued, the suspect struck the Arlington officer in the face and then hopped into the officer’s cruiser and sped off

Virginia State Police, Prince William County and Fairfax County police pursued the stolen cruiser, until the chase ended on I-66 at Cub Run, near the Prince William County/Fairfax County border.

The Arlington County officer whose cruiser was stolen received medical treatment for non-life threatening injuries..

From the Virginia State Police press release on the incident:

At 11:58 a.m., Virginia State Police Trooper C.T. Grzelak responded to a male pedestrian on Interstate 66 in the eastbound lanes at the 46 mile marker in Prince William County. As the trooper stopped out with the man, an Arlington County Police Officer pulled up to assist. Upon being approached by law enforcement, the male subject became combative and began banging on the trooper’s patrol car. As the trooper and officer tried to take the subject into custody, the pedestrian struck the Arlington officer in the face and then fled the scene in the officer’s patrol car.

The trooper then pursued the fleeing suspect. The pursuit continued off I-66 and onto Route 29 before returning to I-66 headed westbound. At the 47 mile marker in Fairfax County, State Police and Prince William County Police were able to encircle and contain the suspect vehicle and force it onto the shoulder where it finally came to a stop.

The suspect then ran from the stolen vehicle and jumped into the bed of a pickup truck that was stopped in the westbound lanes of I-66 (westbound traffic had stopped as the pursuit was brought to a conclusion). The male subject grabbed a shovel and started swinging it at the troopers as they approached him. He finally complied with the troopers’ verbal commands to drop the shovel, but then jumped out of the back of the pickup truck and climbed over the cement Jersey wall.

In the left shoulder of the eastbound lanes of I-66, the male subject still refused to be taken into custody and fought the trooper and sergeant during the course of the apprehension. Both the trooper and sergeant suffered minor injuries.

The male suspect was transported by Prince William County Police to the Prince William County Adult Detention Center. Charges are pending at this time.

The Arlington County Police Officer was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

The Gangs of Arlington — As of 2011 there were 10 active street gangs in Arlington. According to a speaker at a panel discussion held earlier this week, the gangs often try to recruit youths who have recently immigrated to the country. Arlington, however, has an extensive gang prevention program that limits the influence of gangs within the county. [Washington Examiner]

National Drug Take-Back Day — The Arlington County Police Department will be participating in National Drug Take-Back Day next weekend. From 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 28, police will be collecting “expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs” — no questions asked — in an effort to prevent possible abuse and theft. Collection stations will be set up at fire stations 1, 8 and 9. [Arlington County Police]

Earth Day Twitter Chat Today — The Arlington County Department of Environmental Services is hosting a live Twitter chat on the topic of “green gardening” from noon to 1:00 p.m. today. “Join us and get answers to all of your questions related to landscaping and lawn care, native plants, and water conservation,” the county said in an email. One participant who submits a question will be randomly selected to receive a free rain barrel. [Facebook, Twitter]

Board Expected to Defer Pines of Italy Permit Request

By Katie Pyzyk

The recently-opened Pines of Italy restaurant (3111 Columbia Pike) is applying for a live entertainment and dancing permit, but it doesn’t look like the request will be granted at Saturday’s County Board meeting.

Due to concerns from police and the Arlington Heights Civic Association (AHCA), the recommendation is to defer the permit request until the board’s September 15 meeting. Police note previous violent incidents at this site, and suggest future trouble could arise based on the history with the property’s management. AHCA opposes the permit due to the potential for crime and noise to impact neighbors.

A letter from the AHCA president says representatives met with the three partners of the property to address resident concerns. The property apparently is divided into a restaurant, a hookah bar and a night club and has one partner for each entity. The partners reportedly said the entertainment permit was not needed for the restaurant or hookah bar to do business, but wouldn’t specifically say it was for the club.

County staff recommended deferring until the September 15 meeting in order to give the restaurant owner time to establish a clean track record. If there are no issues for a six month period, which began at the Pines of Italy opening in February, the county will consider issuing the permit. The owner was asked to demonstrate good management and to establish better relationships with neighbors during this time period. County staff states in the permit report that the owner has agreed to the deferral.

In its letter last month, AHCA said if no problems arise from the property for one year, it will reconsider its position on the permit. In recent years the property has been home to a succession of restaurants, including Padrino’s Fine Italian Cuisine, Club 31-11, Coco’s Italian Restaurant, Lalibela II, and Cottage Ethiopian Restaurant.

Crime Report: Really Bad Day Edition

By ARLnow.com

A woman had a double whammy of a bad day this past Friday night/early Saturday morning. Not only was her bike stolen from outside the Ballston Metro station, but a man tried to rob her at knifepoint while she was walking home after finding out that her bike was stolen.

ATTEMPTED ROBBERY, 04/14/12, 1400 block of N. Glebe Road. On April 14 at 12:20 am, after returning to Arlington from DC to find her bike stolen from the Ballston Metro stop, a female walking home alone was approached by an unknown subject with a knife. The suspect demanded the victims purse, causing the victim to begin screaming for help. The suspect fled the scene on foot without the purse and is described as a white male, early-mid thirties in age, approximately 5’6″ to 5’8″ tall, with a semi-muscular build and a chipped or missing front tooth. He was wearing a Phillies jersey and jeans at the time of the attempted robbery.

The rest of this week’s Arlington County crime report, after the jump.

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Suspicious Package Investigation in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

Update at 10:05 p.m. — The bomb squad “disrupted” the package, resulting in a “boom” that could be heard in the area.

N. Nash Street in Rosslyn has been shut down between Wilson Boulevard and the Golds Gym for a suspicious package investigation.

Some sort of suspicious package or device was spotted on the sidewalk, we’re told.

Police, firefighters and the Arlington County bomb squad are on the scene.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

The Stories Behind the Valor Awards — Wednesday’s Arlington Chamber of Commerce Valor Awards ceremony included some incredible tales of heroism in the line of duty by Arlington’s first responders. In addition to acts of bravery by firefighters and paramedics, there were stories of valor among Arlington’s law enforcement officers, including police officers who prevented a suicidal man from jumping off the Key Bridge in January, an officer who pulled the occupants of a burning, wrecked car to safety, and a Sheriff’s deputy who jumped on the electrified Metro tracks to come to the aid of a man hit by a train near Clarendon. [Sun Gazette]

Shirlington Dog Park Cleanup — Volunteers are being sought for a spring cleaning at the Shirlington Dog Park along Four Mile Run. The cleanup is planned from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 14. [Examiner.com]

Moran to Host ‘High Level Cyber Summit’ — Rep. Jim Moran will be hosting a summit and panel discussion in Arlington entitled “Cybersecurity in a Time of Defense Austerity.” Among the panelists will be the Department of Defense’s Chief Information Officer and representatives from the National Security Agency (NSA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), U.S. Cyber Command, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). The summit is being held on Tuesday, April 24 at the Virginia Tech Research Center in Ballston.

Olympic Gold Medalist Visits APS Schools — Steve Lopez, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in taekwondo, visited  students at Arlington Science Focus School and Washington-Lee High School. Lopez encouraged students “to say ‘yes’ to a healthy lifestyle and ‘no’ to underage drinking.” [Arlington Public Schools]

Photo courtesy Michael Resnick

Stolen Pickup Truck Crashes into Park Fence

By ARLnow.com

A pickup truck that was reported stolen crashed into a fence in front of Hayes Park on Wednesday evening.

The incident happened just before 5:45 p.m., when police received a call for a truck that had crashed into a fence and a utility pole on the 1500 block of N. Lincon Street. The crash happened in front of Hayes Park and across from Arlington Science Focus school, in the Virginia Square neighborhood. The driver of the truck ran off after the accident, police were told.

After a short investigation officers determined that the truck’s owner had parked it with the keys still inside, and had just noticed that it was missing, according to police radio traffic. Police dogs were called in to try to track the suspect, but as of this morning there was no report of an arrest in the case.

Courtesy photo

Crime Report: Wine as a Weapon Edition

By ARLnow.com

The Days Inn on Columbia Pike is back on the Arlington County crime report this week. The motel, which has been the scene of at least three prostitution busts in the past several months, was the scene of a fight late last night.

MALICIOUS WOUNDING, 04/11/12, 3000 block of S. Columbia Pike. Between 10:30 pm on April 10, and 12:30 am on April 11, a known subject struck a victim in the head and face with a wine bottle during an argument in a hotel room. The victim sustained several lacerations and was transported to an area hospital. The suspect fled the scene and a warrant was obtained for malicious wounding.

The rest of this week’s crime report, after the jump.

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