June 2024

Dear Community Members,

As we enter the summer months and school is out for the year, I want to remind everyone about the importance of teen driver safety. With more free time on their hands, teenagers are more likely to be out on the roads, and we all must work together to ensure their safety and the safety of others.

One of the most significant aspects of teen driver safety is the menace of distracted driving. Whether it's texting, talking on the phone, or even adjusting the radio, distractions can lead to grave accidents on the road. It's essential for parents to have a conversation with their teens about the perils of distracted driving and to lead by example by not using their own devices while driving. Numerous software applications are also available that can monitor and notify you about your young driver's activities.

Additionally, driving while impaired is a primary concern, especially among young drivers. Alcohol and drugs impair judgment and reaction time, making it extremely dangerous to operate a vehicle. We will continue our enforcement efforts to crack down on impaired driving and keep our roads safe for everyone.

I urge you to be vigilant and report any instances of reckless or unsafe driving. By working together, we can avert accidents and save lives, reinforcing the importance of community involvement in maintaining road safety.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our community safe.

Sincerely,

Kevin

• Commander's Message - Teen Driving, Distracted Driving
• Officer of the Quarter - Traffic Stop Leads to Retail Fraud Cases 
• Officer of the Month - Tracking Down a Fentanyl Source
• FCPD Information Releases - Check Fraud, Construction Theft, more
• Crime Prevention - Package Theft by "Porch Pirates"
• Community Events - Summer Programs for High Schoolers, Safety Seats, NNO
• Community Advisory Committee - Time & Venue Change for June Meeting 
• Crime Reporting - Franconia May Incidents, Cold Case
• Crime Statistics - May Calls for Service, Arrests, and Incidents
• Crime Solvers - How to Provide Crime Tips
• Recruiting

PFC Drew Zirker transferred to the Franconia Station after having spent the first several years of his career at the Mount Vernon Station. Looking for a change, PFC Zirker never missed a beat and immediately began learning the Franconia Station’s patrol area. It didn’t take him long to continue his reputation as an excellent patrol officer. PFC Zirker has consistently produced excellent results for campaigns such as Road Shark and has willingly volunteered to train a new officer despite recently being assigned to the Franconia Station. Recently, PFC Zirker continued his proactive patrols by conducting a traffic stop on a subject suspected of being involved in an extensive fraud ring. The subject was determined to be wanted for a trespassing charge. While conducting a search incident to arrest of the subject, numerous credits cards and IDs, along with incriminating receipts were found. None of the credit cards or IDs belonged to the subject.  After a review of police databases, PFC Zirker learned the subject was a suspect in other retail fraud cases out of the Mount Vernon District. PFC Zirker coordinated with Mount Vernon CID and working together, he obtained 7 more fraud related charges. His efforts led to search warrants on the vehicle, a residence, and electronics which will likely lead to the closure of numerous retail fraud cases with losses of almost  half a million dollars. It is our privilege to select PFC Zirker for his dedication, hard work and looking beyond the traffic stop.

Franconia District’s officer of the month is PFC Cam Kelly.  PFC Kelly recognizes the effect fentanyl has had on the children and young adults in our district.  Through relationships already established with community members, he was able to identify an individual who was possibly selling fentanyl from his apartment window.  PFC Kelly and the Neighborhood Patrol Unit worked in cooperation with the Narcotics Squad to conduct surveillance and stop suspicious people in the area.  He also coordinated with the Technical Investigations Unit to have a hidden camera deployed, allowing him to monitor foot traffic in and around the target’s residence. 

While maintaining his duties as a proactive member of the Neighborhood Patrol Unit, he continued to gather evidence that corroborated the source of fentanyl within the community.  In May of 2024, PFC Kelly authored and executed a search warrant on the residence, accompanied by Narcotics Detectives.  Evidence of fentanyl distribution was recovered which provided additional information on fentanyl distribution in the National Capital Region.

For his perseverance, dedication, and investigative ability, we are honored to recognize PFC Cam Kelly as our Officer of the Month.

FCPD posts official news releases are posted on WordPress. Here are links to some recent postings which may be of particular interest to the Franconia community:

Package Theft Theft of items by "porch pirates" who target packages left by delivery drivers is a continuing problem. Recent thefts suggest that some thieves have evolved their tactics. Instead of being opportunistic and looking for available packages, they are targeting specific deliveries. That is, they are finding ways to learn when deliveries of specific high value items are being made and then steal the items shortly after they are delivered. One example is cell phones. They are small, high value, and the package is relatively easy to identify by size and sender. However, many other items could be targets including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, jewelry, and electronics.

The thieves are believed to obtain information from somewhere in the supply chain - at the sales site, in the shipping center, in the delivery organization or possibly even the delivery drivers themselves. Once they know where and when something will be delivered, they can follow the delivery vehicle and snatch the package shortly after it is dropped off.

Protection against targeted, high-value theft is different from other porch theft and should focus on never allowing a high value package to be left unsecured - even briefly. Beyond that, basic security principles apply. Here are some things you can do:

• Sign up for delivery alerts to know when items are delivered.
• Require a delivery signature.
• Use alternative delivery options.  Check the delivery service’s website for what they offer.
• See if it’s possible to have packages delivered to your workplace.
• Some retailers allow you to purchase items online and pick them up in store or at a locker, where they’ll be safe until you can pick them up.
• Going out of town? Hold your mail and packages.
• Keep an eye out for suspicious people and vehicles in your neighborhood.  Don’t be afraid to call the non-emergency number (703-691-2131)!
• Don’t leave delivered packages unattended.  Ask a neighbor to keep an eye out for the packages and offer the same in return.
• Consider investing in an exterior security system.

Community Events

2024 Teen / Young Adult Summer Programs

The summer programs below are offered free of charge to high schoolers. Note the application deadlines. Class sizes are limited. Click on the headings for details. For more information, call (703) 246-3332 or e-mail CPA@fairfaxcounty.gov. 

Police Leaders of Tomorrow June 24th - 28th. Open to young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 in the Metro Washington Area. Includes: Fairfax Criminal Justice Academy tour, crime scene investigation, K-9 demonstration, ride-along, leadership panel, crisis intervention and de-escalation, applicant hiring standards, and more. Application deadline June 14th.

Teen Police Academy July 15th - 19th.Teens learn about: patrol, crime scene investigations, use of force, careers in law enforcement, SWAT, police vehicles, and more. Open to all Fairfax County high school-age students entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grades this fall. Application deadline June 28th.

Future Women Leaders in Law Enforcement July 29th - August 2nd. Open to all Northern Virginia high school-age girls entering 10th, 11th, or 12th grades. Learn about: patrol, crime scene investigation, women in law enforcement, recruiting process, law enforcement career opportunities, leadership skills, helicopter division, and more.  Application deadline June 28th.

National Night Out It's time to start planning for National Night Out in your neighborhood. In 2023, there were 143 NNO events in Fairfax County and, of those, 30 were in the Franconia Police District. For more information, click on the image. To register your neighborhood event, use the QR code or click on the button below. Registration deadline is July 26th,

June 8th and 22nd: Child Safety Seat Installation and Inspection Franconia Governmental Center, 6121 Franconia Road, 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM. Inspections are done on a first come, first served basis. Be sure to install the child safety seat yourself beforehand so the inspection can be performed. If necessary, the seat will be properly re-installed and you will be shown how to install the seat properly in the future. It has been estimated that more than 70% of child safety seats are improperly installed.

For more information about events or for other crime prevention information and assistance, contact the Franconia District Station Crime Prevention and Outreach Office:

Crime Prevention Officer:

MPO Sean Corcoran [sean.corcoran@fairfaxcounty.gov] 

Community Outreach Officer

PFC Kevin Rosa [FCPDFranconiaCPO@fairfaxcounty.gov]

May CAC Meeting PFC Drew Zirker receives the CAC Officer of the Quarter award from Captain Smuck at the May CAC meeting June CAC Meeting: Schedule Change

The June meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 26, at 7 PM at the new Lorton District Police Station, 9900 Lorton Road, Lorton, VA 22079

Presentation: Auto Theft with Lt. Chris Mamalis

Note the changed time and place. The Franconia Community Room is unavailable for the June meeting due to early voting. CAC meetings are normally held on the third Wednesday of the month at 7:00 PM in the Franconia Governmental Center, 6121 Franconia Road.

March Crime Report

The Franconia District Crime Report contains summaries of incidents that have occurred in the Franconia Police District. Crime reports are also posted periodically on nextdoor.  Incident information is based on initial reports and may be subject to change. The reports are not a comprehensive list of every police event.

Cold Case Information

"Gone but not Forgotten"

The Cold Case Squad, founded in 1995, falls under the Major Crimes Bureau of FCPD. The squad is responsible for the investigations of unresolved homicides and unsolved sex crimes in Fairfax County. Click on the image for more information about the unit and about individual cold cases. Below is one of the Franconia cases.

Franconia Resident Disappears from Workplace 29-year-old Oscar Lorenzo Velasco Montano was reported missing from Amherst Avenue, Springfield, VA on July 11, 2011. Oscar was last seen alive on July 9, 2011 at his workplace in Tysons Corner. His sister reported seeing his green Plymouth Voyager at the mall on July 10th, but it had since vanished, family members stated. His phone was used to text but was then shut off. His skeletal remains were discovered on August 8, 2012, in a wooded area in Frederick, MD and identified by DNA testing.

Franconia Calls for Service, Incident and Arrest Trends

May Arrests

May Calls for Service

May Incidents

Group A (More Serious) Incidents Detail

The chart below provides further detail on Group A incidents by category and Patrol Service Area location. In May, YTD Group A crime decreased in all categories except Drug/Narcotics, Larceny/Theft, and Prostitution Offenses. Group A crime decreased in all Patrol Service Areas. In total, Franconia Police District Group A crime decreased by 10.2%.

* Group A incidents are more serious offenses as designated by the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS), Group B are less serious incidents, and Non-Reportable incidents are those that do not require reporting under NIBRS.

To see the call types included in each Call for Service category click  HERE.

For a list of Group A and B Incidents click  HERE.

For information on how these statistics are compiled, click HERE .

Anyone with information pertaining to cases is asked to contact Crime Solvers by one of the methods below. If the information provided results in an arrest and indictment, apprehension of a fugitive or the recovery of stolen property or seizure of illegal drugs, a cash reward ranging between $100 to $1000 is paid to the tipster.

• By Phone -1-866-411-TIPS (866-411-8477);
• By Text - Send a text message to 847411, then type the keyword "FCCS" add a space, type your tip info and hit Send;
• By web - Click HERE; or,
• Download our Mobile tip411 App "Fairfax Co Crime Solvers."

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