Priorities
Building on Success. Committed to Excellence. Focused on the Future.
As your elected Sheriff, I have remained steadfast in my dedication to enhancing public safety, fostering community trust, and ensuring operational excellence at the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office. Below is a comprehensive overview of what we have accomplished and the initiatives that will guide us forward during a second term.
Strengthening Community Trust and Transparency
Accomplishments:
Boosted ASO post pandemic community engagement by 60% through active participation in hundreds of different community events across Alexandria.
Strengthened our connection with Alexandria youth by relaunching the Elementary School Liaison Program and collaborating with the Concerned Citizens Network of Alexandria (CCNA) and ACPS, resulting in over 270 school visits by deputies since 2023.
Joined the board of the Alexandria Community Safety Forum, a police reform initiative led by the Institute for American Police Reform, to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and the community.
Looking Ahead:
Pilot a body-worn camera program to increase accountability and transparency.
Expand community engagement efforts, including deeper partnerships with organizations such as CCNA and Cornerstone Craftsman along with broader participation in policing reform initiatives.
Improving Safety and Security through Innovation
Accomplishments:
Achieved the agency's first ever PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) accreditation.
Successfully navigated the COVID-19 pandemic with no serious illnesses or deaths within the detention center.
Improved inmate safety by deploying the first ever biometric monitoring system in critical areas of the detention center.
Reduced contraband in the detention center by implementing enhanced screening protocols, deploying advanced detection technology, and launching ASO's first-ever contraband detection canine program.
Attained re-accreditation from the American Correctional Association and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.
Looking Ahead:
Modernize operations by implementing a new jail management system and advanced technology to enhance transparency, improve efficiency, and increase safety.
Secure funding for a full-time detention center ADA coordinator to ensure compliance and support for individuals with disabilities.
Conduct a comprehensive security assessment of the Courthouse complex to identify vulnerabilities, implement targeted improvements, and enhance overall safety for all courthouse users.
Reducing Recidivism
Accomplishments:
Launched a Medically Assisted Treatment (MAT) program to address opioid use disorder within the community.
Partnered with the ASO Community Advisory Board to reduce communication fees by 40% and provide free weekly communication options for inmates, easing the financial burden on them and their families.
Increased inmate communication by over 200% through a tablet-based system that also provides on-demand educational and religious rehabilitation programs for all inmates.
Partnered with Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter and Circuit Court Clerk Greg Parks in 2023 to improve accessibility to the expungement process, by providing free fingerprinting services to over 100 participants since its inception.
Proudly continued participation in the Alexandria Recovery Court, a program that diverts individuals committed to substance abuse treatment from incarceration and conviction.
Looking Ahead:
Expand workforce and educational training programs to equip inmates with skills for reintegration.
Continue enhancing rehabilitation programming and reducing inmate fees in collaboration with the ASO Community Advisory Board.
Diverse Workforce Recruitment
Accomplishments:
Increased deputy applications by 400% through innovative digital and community-based recruiting strategies.
Developed creative recruitment strategies, including a partnership with the U.S. Army to attract veterans and a lateral hiring bonus program to recruit experienced deputies.
Recruited a majority-minority workforce that reflects Alexandria’s diversity, with 30% of deputies being female.
Looking Ahead:
Launch a Public Safety Cadet Program to inspire Alexandria’s youth to pursue careers in law enforcement.
Advocate for legislative changes allowing permanent residents to serve as law enforcement officers in Virginia, broadening opportunities for diverse candidates.
Advancing Employee Knowledge and Wellness
Accomplishments:
Fostered inclusion and cultural awareness across the entire Office by establishing a Race and Social Equity Core Team and implementing an equity action plan.
Increased peer intervention and harm reduction throughout the Office by continuing Georgetown University’s ABLE Project training for all deputy sheriffs.
Launched the Cordico wellness app, a first in Virginia law enforcement, to provide mental and physical health resources for employees and their families, and established ASOFit, an incentive-based program promoting physical fitness among staff.
Partnered with CCNA and Howard University to enhance trauma-informed professional development and behavioral health services for employees.
Enhanced employee recognition by reinstating the annual awards ceremony, post pandemic, and introducing a new yearly promotional ceremony.
Looking Ahead:
Provided Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) for all deputy sheriffs by 2028.
Expand cultural diversity, disability awareness, and inclusion training.
Achieve state accreditation for the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team.
Revise evaluation processes to improve employee recognition, transparency, and career development opportunities.
Creating A Safer City
Accomplishments:
Enhanced public safety at local events and major emergencies by collaborating with the Alexandria Police Department and Alexandria Fire Department to provide increased patrols and traffic management
Improved residential security through the Away from Home Check Program by monitoring properties while residents are out of town, conducting over 570 checks since 2022.
Improved the safety of vulnerable individuals with cognitive disorders through Project Lifesaver. Since 2022, multiple participants have been successfully located, providing critical support to families and caretakers.
Partnered with Moms Demand Action and participated in the Be SMART campaign for safe gun storage practices and distributed over 500 gun locks to help reduce gun violence.
Looking Ahead:
Focus on strengthening public safety partnerships by enhancing collaboration with police and fire departments to keep all Alexandrian’s safe.
Build on the success of Project Lifesaver by exploring advanced tracking technologies and increasing enrollment to better serve families in need.
Reinforce gun safety initiatives by deepening partnerships with Moms Demand Action and expanding community outreach to further reduce gun violence.
Leadership in Action
Accomplishments:
Achieved the prestigious National Sheriffs’ Association Triple Crown Award, recognizing excellence in corrections, law enforcement, and healthcare, and demonstrating a commitment to the highest standards in public safety.
Continued to be highly engaged, accessible, responsive, and present with my employees and the community through initiatives such as the Sheriff’s Employee Advisory Committee, bi-annual in house employee leadership development training, the ASO Community Academy, and the ASO Community Advisory Board.
Demonstrated strong fiscal leadership by staying under budget each fiscal year and ensuring federal and state revenues remained consistent, helping to reduce the financial burden on our community.
Advanced personal professional development by completing advanced leadership programs, including the National Sheriffs’ Institute’s Leadership Development Program and the Police Executive Research Forum's Senior Management Institute for Police.
Looking Ahead:
Develop new in-house programs, such as mentorship opportunities and advanced leadership workshops, to cultivate the next generation of leaders within the Sheriff’s Office.
Maintain a strong leadership presence both within the Office and in the community by consistently participating in established programs while exploring and launching creative engagement initiatives.