News Briefs

Grant to Prevent Gun Violence

The Alexandria Police Department has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to prevent gun violence. From 2021 to 2022, firearm-related offenses in Alexandria doubled. The City of Alexandria is committed to reversing that trend.

The rise in gun violence seen in Alexandria mirrors national and state-wide trends, which prompted Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services to create grant opportunities. In addition to APD, the Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney received a $497,000 DCJS grant to prosecute gun-related offenses, and the two departments will use those funds to support impacted areas of the community and prosecute firearm-related crime.

APD will contract a program coordinator to provide leadership for an interagency work group and serve as a liaison to the community focused on APD Beat 34, an area of southwest Alexandria including the Edsall Road corridor. From 2022 to 2023, violent and property crime increased by 67% in Beat 34, while crimes against society and lesser property crimes increased by 179%, far outpacing the rest of the city. 

Focusing on that portion of the city should enable the program coordinator to build partnerships.

Installing a coordinator for the Beat 34 Work Group will aid collaboration between APD, the Sheriff’s Office, the City Manager’s Office, the Department of Community and Human Services, Code Administration, the Office of Housing, and Alexandria Public Schools. 

Fatal Motorcycle/Bus Collision

On Tuesday evening, April 9, Alexandria Police officers responded to the 5400 block of Duke Street to investigate a fatal collision involving a motorcyclist and a bus. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead on scene. Duke Street was closed from Paxton to South Walker Street, in both directions for several hours while the APD Crash Reconstruction team conducted an investigation. 

Drug Take Back Day

Residents can dispose of unneeded prescription drugs, including those prescribed by veterinarians and over-the-counter medications during National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.

A collection will take place on Saturday, April 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the following drop-off sites staffed by the Alexandria Police Department and the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office:

* Alexandria Police Department Headquarters (3600 Wheeler Ave.)

* Fire Station 210 (5255 Eisenhower Ave.)

* The Neighborhood Pharmacy of Del Ray (2204 Mt. Vernon Ave.)

* Walgreens Pharmacy (3614 King St.)

Needles are not accepted during the take back event. Visit the website for needle disposal and permanent medication drop-off locations.

Unused and expired medications that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse, especially opioid prescriptions. In 2023, the City collected 2,647 pounds of unused medication, a 40% increase from 2022.

Drugs are also an environmental hazard to waterways and should not be flushed down the toilet or sink. While most sewage is treated at wastewater treatment plants, these facilities are not always designed to process medication. Drugs that are improperly disposed of can make their way into local waterways, affecting aquatic life. If you do not have access to safe drug disposal, check the medication bottles for instructions on alternate disposal options. If no instructions are present:

* Remove medication from its original container. Do not crush.

* Mix medication with an inedible substance, such as kitty litter or coffee grounds.

* Place mixture in a sealable bag or container and throw away in the trash.

* Black out all personal information on the prescription label so it is unreadable.

Visit alexandriava.gov/SAPCA to learn more about ways to prevent substance use and misuse. Visit alexandriava.gov/Opioids for more information about Alexandria’s efforts to fight the national opioid epidemic.