Update: 9:53 a.m. Friday, June 3
Residents should see better and more efficient services from the Alexandria Police Department following modifications the department has made to the way it responds to calls, according to Alexandria Police Chief Don Hayes. The changes started Wednesday, June 1.
APD is changing the way it responds to some calls to prioritize officers' and detectives' workloads and ensure police are available in all neighborhoods to respond to emergency calls for service.
For would-be criminals, the message should be that more officers are going to patrol the streets, increasing the chance that crimes will be stopped. Residents should see even faster response times to major crimes and emergencies, as well, Hayes said.
Giving an example, Hayes said that if a person fell on a public sidewalk and had injuries, normally the fire department responds and the police respond to assist. Going forward, if the fire department has the situation under control and doesn't need police assistance, the police may not go to the scene. In another example, Hayes said that police response to a low-speed car accident with property damage but no injuries would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
The Alexandria Police Department has authorization for 311 sworn police officers. As of May 1, the police department had at least 20 vacancies, and 48 officers who were on restricted duty for a variety of health and personal reasons. Hayes also noted that five officers in the past week have left the department due to career changes, retirement or other reasons.
The ongoing staffing shortage has been a challenge for APD and many other police departments nationwide. After the George Floyd incident two years ago in Minnesota, some people have started to see police work as not being a "favorable occupation," Hayes said.
"We are a good police department," Hayes said. "Our record speaks for itself as to how we’ve always been there for the community."
Hayes noted that despite the mental challenges of being a police officer anywhere, APD is a good place to work and the agency is working hard to recruit new officers. APD has a wellness program, a quiet room and a variety of resources to support officers. Salaries start at $51,600.
Original story, posted 7:58 a.m. Friday, June 3:
The Alexandria Police Department (APD) released a video statement in which Chief Don C. Hayes offers information on recent service modifications.
The changes are being made to "prioritize our workload and to better serve the Alexandria community," Hayes said.
The APD has had ongoing issues hiring enough officers, and overtime work is routine. Hayes mentioned a need for better work/life balance among officers and staff, and an increased focus on responding in-person to more serious criminal incidents. This means, in part, increasing online support and phone reporting of non-emergency incidents.
