Sheriff’s Office

First Responders Honored for Lifesaving Efforts

By Ethan Rothstein
1/19

Members of the Arlington County Police Department, the Arlington County Fire Department, the county’s emergency operations staff and the Arlington Sheriff’s Office were honored today for their efforts and sacrifices while serving the county.

The Arlington Chamber of Commerce held its 33rd annual Valor Awards at the Officer’s Club at Joint Base Myer/Henderson Hall, giving awards for careers of service as well as individual, lifesaving efforts over the past 12 months.

The winners of the afternoon’s most prestigious award, the Valor Award, were ACFD Capt. Craig Brightbill and firefighter/EMTs John Hirte and Chad Aldridge, who were the first responders to the deadly house fire on S. Langley Street last March. Aldridge suffered respiratory and skin burns when he went in first to the house, which was rapidly engulfed in flames.

The three men were staffing Rescue 109, which is one of two apparatus in Arlington currently understaffed.

“Despite the fact that this fire resulted in two civilian casualties and an injured firefighter, the crew of Rescue 109 displayed dedication, courage and perseverance while facing extreme fire conditions, life safety hazards to trapped occupants and themselves, and the overwhelming stress conditions they were presented with,” their commendation, read by WJLA weather director and event master of ceremonies Doug Hill, said.

Among the other winners were Sheriff’s Office Cpls. Phyllis Henderson and Edwin Hill, who, along with Judge Thomas Kelley, saved a man in the Arlington County Courthouse from a heart attack in January; and ACPD K9 Cpl. Aaron Tingle, who helped prevent a rape and capture the suspect in Buckingham last November.

Retired ACPD Chief Doug Scott was also honored after 12 years at the helm of the county’s law enforcement.

“[Scott] will be missed and fondly remembered,” Chamber President/CEO Kate Roche said. “But we all know his legacy will live on in the great work of the Arlington County Police Department.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Early spring daffodils (Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley)

Tow Driver Hooks Car With Kids Inside — A local dad is upset with Advanced Towing because one of its tow truck drivers hooked his car in the Columbia Pike CVS parking lot while two of his kids were still inside. The tow driver unhooked the car when he realized the children were there. The tow company owner said the car had tinted windows and the dad had parked at CVS but went to other businesses before returning to shop at CVS. [NBC Washington – WARNING: Auto-play video]

Hikers Rescued on GW Parkway — The Arlington County Fire Department, with an assist from the U.S Park Police Eagle 1 helicopter, rescued two hikers stranded on the rocks along the George Washington Parkway last night. [WUSA 9]

Officers Honored at CIT Awards — Several Arlington County public safety officers were honored last night for their extraordinary work to intervene in mental health crises. The officers are specifically trained to deal with mental health issues as part of Arlington’s Crisis Intervention Team program. [NBC Washington – WARNING: Auto-play video]

Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley

Arlington Sheriff’s Office to Ignore ICE Detainers

By ARLnow.com

An armed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in Northern Virginia (photo courtesy ICE)The Arlington County Sheriff’s Office will ignore requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to hold people in the county jail unless such a request comes with a warrant, the county announced Friday afternoon.

The new policy, which takes effect immediately, comes four days after Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (D) issued an opinion that ICE detainers are “merely a request.”

From an Arlington County press release:

The Arlington County Sheriff’s Office will no longer hold people in custody at the County Detention Facility based solely on a request to detain by the federal Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unless ICE presents the Sheriff with a judicially issued warrant authorizing such detention, Sheriff Beth Arthur said today.

This change in policy is a result of a question from Virginia Beach Sheriff Ken Stolle to Attorney General Herring. In response to that question, on January 5, 2015, Attorney General Mark Herring issued an Advisory Opinion regarding the authority for law enforcement to hold a person in custody based on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement Detainer. Attorney General Herring stated:

“It is my opinion that an ICE detainer is merely a request. It does not create for a law enforcement agency either an obligation or legal authority to maintain custody of a prisoner who is otherwise eligible for immediate release from local or state custody.”

Arlington County Sheriff’s Office’s new policy is effective immediately.

Arlington Swears in 13 Police Officers, Five Deputies

By Ethan Rothstein

Arlington County Police Department swearing-in ceremony Friday, Dec. 19, 2004 (photo courtesy ACPD) Arlington County Police Department swearing-in ceremony Friday, Dec. 19, 2004 (photo courtesy ACPD)

Thirteen new police officers will soon be patrolling the streets of Arlington County after police academy graduation yesterday.

Of the 14 candidates who started in police academy, 13 will now begin training to become full-time ACPD officers, along with five sheriff’s deputies who also graduated from the academy. The officers were sworn in by Arlington Clerk of the Circuit Court Paul Ferguson on Friday, according to ACPD spokesman Lt. Kip Malcolm.

Two of the new officers won the physical fitness awards at the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy, which also graduated officers from Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax County and city, Manassas, Prince Williams and Loudoun counties and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, among other departments.

An Arlington officer also was given the Thomas L. Shaw Award for displaying “characteristics of professionalism, dedication and leadership,” according to the ACPD’s Facebook page.

The newly sworn-in officers “will complete several weeks of in-house training before beginning their ‘field training,’ which is an 12 additional weeks of training on all three patrol shifts with a training officer,” Malcolm said.

Photos courtesy ACPD

Police to Host ‘Open Dialogue’ With Community

By Ethan Rothstein

ACPD Chief Doug Scott at the WCA meeting 3/13/14The Arlington County Police Department wants to build its relationship with the community in light of the national unrest surrounding the events in Ferguson, Mo., this summer.

To help strengthen the community’s trust in the ACPD, the department is hosting a forum this Wednesday at the Wakefield High School auditorium (1325 S. Dinwiddie Street) from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

“With recent national media coverage of law enforcement and community relationships, the Arlington County Police Department feels it is imperative to continue to build relationships through open dialogue,” ACPD said in a press release. “The Arlington County Chief of Police, along with Commonwealth Attorney, County Sheriff and other distinguished panel members, will conduct a community forum focusing on the community’s trust and confidence in the criminal justice system.”

Police Chief Doug Scott, Sheriff Beth Arthur, Commonwealth Attorney Theo Stamos, NAACP Arlington President Elmer Lowe, community activist Andres Tobar, who is the director of the Shirlington Employment and Education Center, and ARLnow.com founder and editor Scott Brodbeck.

WJLA’s Jeff Goldberg will moderate the panel, which will hold a discussion with topics including use of force, community policing and the use of police body cameras, according to the police department. After the discussion, the panelists will answer audience questions.

The event is free and open to the public. ACPD will be live-tweeting the event at its Twitter account for those who can’t attend.

File photo

Cyclist Struck by Squad Car on Rt. 50 Ramp

By Ethan Rothstein
1/4

An Arlington County Sheriff’s Office vehicle struck a bicyclist this morning on the ramp from Washington Blvd to westbound Route 50.

The cyclist, named Victoria, said she was waiting to cross the ramp at the crosswalk — at which there’s a stop sign for traffic turning right onto Washington Blvd — when she and the deputy’s vehicle went at the same time. The front wheel of her bike was bent in the minor collision, but she was not transported and there was no discernible damage to the squad car.

Victoria, who works as a lifeguard at several pools in the area, said she has cycled along Washington Blvd every day for the last two-and-a-half months. Tuesday morning, she and a friend were cycling together before the accident.

“It’s always dangerous in this spot,” she told ARLnow.com. “It’s scary every time I do it.”

The intersection is routinely one of the most accident-prone in the county; in 2010, it had 113 calls for accidents in the county, almost double the second-most dangerous intersection.

Arlington Deputy Convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter in Alexandria

By Ethan Rothstein

Craig Patterson (photo via Alexandria Police Department)(Updated at 6:20 p.m.) Arlington Sheriff’s deputy Craig Patterson was convicted in Alexandria court today of voluntary manslaughter in the May shooting death of 22-year-old Julian Dawkins.

Patterson was found not guilty of possession of a use of a firearm in commission of a murder. The jury spent more than a day deliberating over the verdict, which was handed down just after 1:00 p.m. Friday. The jury later recommended that Patterson be sentenced to 6 years in prison, according to a tweet from NBC4’s David Culver. A judge will decide on the sentencing in February.

Patterson, 45, was off-duty in May when he shot and killed Dawkins, an Alexandria resident and driver for PBS NewsHour in Shirlington. Patterson claimed the shooting was in self defense, while prosecutors argued he was shooting in rage after an argument.

From the Washington Post:

Patterson was forced to shoot, defense attorney Megan Thomas said in closing arguments, when charged by “an angry, drunk, belligerent man, armed with a deadly weapon.” The knife was found folded in Dawkins’ pocket; Thomas speculated that what Patterson saw was a cellphone.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter said in closing arguments that if Patterson meant to uphold the law, “the proper thing to do was to call the police . . .but he chose not to.”

Dawkins’ family and friends were in attendance to hear the verdict, and the scene in Alexandria Circuit Court became emotional after it was announced, according to WJLA’s Keff Goldberg.

Mother of Julian Dawkins, Gwen Pratt Miller, on stand at beginning of sentencing phase, sobbing, “he was my only son. He was all I had”.
— Jeff Goldberg (@jgoldbergABC7) December 13, 2013

Gwen Pratt Miller could not go on as her sobbing intensified. Several members of jury crying as well. Judge stopped process for recess.
— Jeff Goldberg (@jgoldbergABC7) December 13, 2013

Patterson has been on unpaid administrative leave since he was charged. Prosecutors were hoping for a first degree murder conviction, but jurors elected to convict Patterson of the lesser charge.

Arlington County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Maj. Susie Doyel released a statement Friday afternoon on the conviction.

“At this time, the Arlington County Sheriff’s Office will resume our internal investigation that was suspended upon the arrest of Deputy Patterson,” she wrote in an email. “Deputy Craig Patterson continues to be on leave without pay awaiting the outcome of the internal investigation.”

Photo via Alexandria Police Department

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Cranberry sauce on the grocery store shelf (Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann)

Sheriff Sees Former Inmates Around Town — Arlington Sheriff Beth Arthur gets recognized by former inmates when out and about in Arlington. “I’ll be in the grocery store, and they’ll come up to me and say, ‘Hi, I was in your jail,'” she said in an interview. [Washington Post]

Metro Sends Ad Out to Alert Subscribers — Subscribers of MetroAlerts received an ad from WMATA — selling tickets to the BB&T Classic basketball tournament — in their inbox last week, upsetting some customers. Opined a Greater Greater Washington writer: “Spamming riders with promotions unrelated to Metro service reduces the value of MetroAlerts and it wastes riders’ time.” [Greater Greater Washington]

Dems to Control All Elected Offices — Assuming Virginia Attorney General-elect Mark Herring survives a recount following his razor-thin victory, a Democrat will be in every local, state and federal elected office in Arlington for what may be the first time ever. [Sun Gazette]

Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann

Morning Notes

By Katie Pyzyk

Flag at Saturday's 9/11 Memorial 5K race (photo by maryva2)

Deputy Accused of Murder Again Denied Bond — Arlington County Sheriff’s Deputy Craig Patterson, who is accused of murdering Julian Dawkins, has been denied bond for a third time. Patterson’s defense attorney argued that Dawkins may have been using and dealing drugs, and Dawkins’ previous dealings with police caused his confrontational nature the night of the incident. Patterson’s trial starts on December 9. [WUSA]

Home Sales, Prices Rise — The combination of higher sales and increasing average sales prices boosted Arlington’s total sales volume for August by 29.4 percent, to $173 million, compared to last year. The average price of all residential properties rose 8.1 percent to $594,479. Homes sold last month spent an average of 29 days on the market between listing and contract, compared with 50 days a year ago. [Sun Gazette]

Lost Dog/Stray Cat Profile — A Washington Post story profiles two of Arlington’s well known restaurants that help pets find homes — Lost Dog Cafe and Stray Cat Cafe. Co-founders Pam McAlwee and Ross Underwood describe how they started rescuing strays from shelters before the age of cell phones and the internet. Each year the duo, along with their 300 volunteers, helps around 1,800 dogs and 700 cats find homes. [Washington Post]

Flickr pool photo by maryva2

Arlington to Hold 9/11 Commemoration Ceremony

By ARLnow.com

Courthouse PlazaArlington County will hold a special commemorative ceremony to remember the 184 victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the Pentagon.

The event still start at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11, outsize the Courthouse Plaza county government building at 2100 Clarendon Blvd.

A moment of silence will be observed at 9:37 a.m., marking the time that American Airlines Flight 77 flew into the Pentagon. The silence will be followed by a playing of “Taps” and a lowering of the flag to half-staff.

Arlington County’s combined police, fire and sheriff color guard will be on hand, as will Sheriff Beth Arthur, Chief of Police Doug Scott and Fire Chief James Schwartz.

The event is open to the public.

Sheriff’s Deputy Murder Case Moves to Grand Jury

By Ethan Rothstein

Craig Patterson (photo via Alexandria Police Department)The first degree murder case against Arlington County Sheriff’s Deputy Craig Patterson from a fatal shooting in Alexandria in May was sent to a grand jury on Tuesday afternoon.

Patterson, 44, is accused of shooting and killing 22-year-old Julian Dawkins, an Alexandria resident. Patterson and his attorneys claim Dawkins attacked him with a knife, and he fired on Dawkins in self-defense. After hearing more than two hours of witness testimony, Alexandria General District Court Judge Becky J. Moore ruled there was probable cause to move forward and sent the case to a grand jury.

Alexandria Police Officer Judy Taylor, a crime scene investigator, testified that Dawkins, who drove a shuttle for PBS NewsHour in Shirlington, had a knife clipped to the outer portion of his jeans pocket, but it was folded up.

Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney Randy Sengel played in the courtroom the 911 call Patterson made after the shooting. It was the first time many, including Dawkins’ parents, had heard the call.

“I was just involved in a shooting,” Patterson said on the call, made at 12:45 a.m. on May 23. “I just had a young man pull a knife on me and I shot him.”

Dawkins suffered one bullet wound to the upper chest, investigators said. Witnesses testifying gave conflicting reports of the incident. Reginald White, who lives a few doors down from the scene of the incident on Lynhaven Drive, said he saw Patterson leave an argument with Dawkins, then return with a pistol holstered to his hip. Three minutes later, White said, he heard a gunshot.

Willie Sydnor, who lives a few houses down the street from where the shooting occurred, said he saw Dawkins chase Patterson after the initial incident.

Dawkins said “this is my block,” Sydnor testified. “Then I saw Julian jump at [Patterson] and say ‘don’t come back around here.'”

Officer David Chamnaiphol was the first to the scene, and he said he immediately placed Patterson in handcuffs and took away his gun, badge, handcuffs, cell phone and wallet. The Officer of the Medical Examiner reported that Dawkins had a blood alcohol content of 0.15.

The courtroom was filled to the point where members of the community were standing along the back wall to fit inside. Many of Dawkins’ peers were wearing commemorative T-shirts that said “R.I.P. Juju.” Dawkins’ parents took questions outside of the Alexandria courthouse once the decision came down, giving their reaction to hearing the 911 call for the first time.

“After hearing that call, I truly feel that it was premeditated,” Gwen Prattmiller, Dawkins’ mother, said.

“He had no remorse,” said Curtis Dawkins, Julian Dawkins’ father. “Right now we’re thankful that a decision was made and it was the proper decision.”

Photo via Alexandria Police Department

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