City of Alexandria police officers have jurisdiction of Virginian crimes and crimes legislated by the City of Alexandria local government.[5] Physical jurisdiction extends one mile into neighboring jurisdictions of Arlington County and Fairfax County.[6]
History
Night watchmen and constables were employed by the city since 1797 with the starting pay of $150 annually.[7]
The Alexandria Police Department was founded on July 15, 1870.[7] In 1918, the Alexandria Police Department founded the Motor Unit with the purchase of one Harley-Davidson motorcycle for use in answering emergency calls.[8]
In 2009, then Deputy Chief Earl L. Cook became the first African-American Chief of Police in Alexandria replacing Chief David P. Baker.[10]
In November, 2011, construction was completed on their current headquarters in the West End section of Alexandria, on Wheeler Avenue immediately south of Duke Street.[11]
On October 1, 2016 Chief Earl Cook retired after 37 years and Deputy Chief David Huchler was appointed Interim Chief of Police while the IACP searched for a replacement.[12] On January 16 Michael L. Brown, former Chief of Police for the California Highway Patrol was announced as the successor to Earl Cook.
The department responded to shots fired on June 14, 2017 to a quiet Del Ray neighborhood. Officers from both Alexandria and the United States Capitol Police shot and killed James Hodgkinson after a 10-minute gun battle with the assailant, an event that became known as the Congressional baseball shooting. Hodgkinson was attempting to kill Republican congressmen who were practicing on the Monroe Street baseball field for the annual Congressional Baseball Game for Charity. Three officers from the Alexandria Police Department received the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor on July 27, 2017, in recognition of their heroism during the shooting.[13] The Medal of Valor is the highest decoration for bravery exhibited by public safety officers in the United States.
In June, 2021, Chief Michael Brown retired and Asst. Chief Don Hayes was named Acting Chief. Acting Chief Don Hayes was appointed Chief in April, 2022.[14]
In December, 2021, the police department reported having trouble hiring and retaining staff and officers due to pay being not competitive with other nearby police agencies.[15]
In February, 2024, Chief Don Hayes was tapped for a federal assignment. Raul Pedroso was named Interim chief of police.[16]