Pet Gazette Pages 10-11 Mount Vernon’s Hometown Newspaper • A Connection Newspaper February 23, 2017 County Names Police Auditor ichard G. Schott, a 27- Another was Ryear veteran of the FBI, creation of a was appointed by the civilian review Board of Supervisors to be Fairfax panel. The su- County’s first-ever independent pervisors ap- Photo contributed Photo police auditor. proved that The announcement of Schott’s body as well, hiring came at the board’s Feb. 14 Schott set to be a meeting. As auditor, Schott will re- nine-member port directly to the board and have group of volunteers who will re- numerous oversight responsibili- view complaints of police miscon- ties. Among them, Fairfax County duct or abuse of power. On Feb. 17, Rising Hope pastor Keary Kincannon and other religious leaders held said: During closed session Feb. 14, a prayer vigil and demonstration at the ICE field office on Prosperity Avenue in ❖ Monitoring and reviewing in- the board was scheduled to review Fairfax. ternal investigations of Police De- applications and nominees for partment officer-involved those positions. However no an- shootings, in-custody deaths and nouncement was made following Prayer Vigil at ICE Office use-of-force cases in which an in- the closed-door meeting. dividual is killed or seriously in- Board of Supervisors chairman jured. Sharon Bulova said she was Rising Hope pastor surges of searches, “targeted enforcement ac- ❖ Requesting further investiga- pleased to welcome Schott as the tions,” for undocumented immigrant criminals tions if he determines that an in- first auditor. speaks about arrests that followed executive order from President ternal investigation was deficient “In this newly established posi- Donald Trump, this action in Mount Vernon has or conclusions were not supported tion, Mr. Schott will provide in- outside church. sparked fear in the community and calls for an- by the evidence. creased accountability and trans- swers from leaders, according to the religious ❖ Issuing public reports for each parency to the Fairfax County Po- By Tim Peterson leaders. reviewed internal investigation. lice Department,” Bulova said in a The Gazette Gov. Terry McAuliffe released a letter Feb. 16 ❖ Reviewing all resident com- statement. directed to John Kelly, secretary of Homeland plaint investigations of alleged According to Fairfax County, n the morning of Feb. 8, U.S. Immi- Security, requesting an immediate briefing regard- excessive or unnecessary force by Schott’s FBI career includes work- gration and Customs Enforcement ing the events outside Rising Hope, as chronicled officers. ing as a special agent with local (ICE) officers showed up across the by NBC Washington. ❖ Producing annual reports that law enforcement and training O “These reports are anecdotal and I recognize street from Rising Hope Mission analyze trends and recommend state and local officers, “including Church on Russell Road in the Mount Vernon area that previous administrations have conducted improvements. legal issues associated with police of Alexandria. According to several witnesses, men immigration enforcement actions,” McAuliffe Schott will start full-time paid officers’ use of force and deadly who had just left the church’s hypothermia shel- writes. “However, the NBC report raises a con- work April 17 this year — salary force.” ter for the day were set upon and questioned. cern that, unlike previous actions, ICE agents are is set at $143,000 — joined by two He also serves as an FBI Acad- Some were asked if they’d seen any number of detaining Virginia residents without cause or spe- assistants. emy instructor at Quantico, the illegal immigrant criminals for which the officers cific allegations of criminal activity.” Creation of an independent au- county said, teaching new agents were searching. Others, Latinos in the group, were “This is something we will not stand for,” ditor was a recommendation by about basic constitutional criminal singled out, fingerprinted, and some even re- Kincannon said at the vigil. “That’s our legal cause the Ad Hoc Police Practices Review procedure and legal consequences strained, forced into vans and driven away, wit- in why we are opposing what is happening. But Commission for increased over- when they employ force. nesses said. there’s a moral cause as well, that goes to the sight of Fairfax County Police. — Tim Peterson An ICE official would only confirm that two heart of our faith.” arrests were made at that location on that day. Kincannon said that Jesus Christ taught “how A Tribute we treat the last of thieves is how we treat him. “Every day, as part of routine targeted enforce- From left, Supervisor ment operations, U.S. “So when we detain people without cause, Pat Herrity (R-Spring- Immigration and Cus- field), Mount Vernon toms Enforcement (ICE) “We’ve come too far building any allegation of crimi- nal activity,” he contin- Fairfax County School arrests criminal aliens Board representative and other individuals relationships with the ued, “it’s the same as detaining Jesus Christ, Karen Corbett Sanders who are in violation of and Supervisor Dan our nation’s immigra- immigrant population [to] without cause, any alle- gation of criminal activ- Storck (D-Mount tion laws,” the official Vernon) lay a wreath at said in a statement. sever ties like this.” ity.” — Supervisor Jeff McKay (D-Lee) Oscar Ramirez, one of George Washington’s But on Feb. 17, tomb on Presidents Day. Kincannon and other the green card-carrying religious leaders decided to pay a return visit to men who said he was 2/24/16 detained and questioned by ICE on Feb. 8 before home in Requested ICE, specifically at the field office on Prosperity material. Avenue in Fairfax. He said they have been trying eventually being released, said fear in the immi- Time-sensitive grant and Latino community has caused people Postmaster: to find out the names of the men who were alleg- Attention to stay inside, away from public and government edly picked up in the vans but haven’t been suc- #482 Permit buildings. VA Alexandria, cessful yet. PAID See Prayer Vigil at ICE, Page 5 Postage U.S. After reports of ICE officers conducting large STD PRSRT www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 23 - March 1, 2017 ❖ 1 2 ❖ Mount Vernon Gazette ❖ February 23 - March 1, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Mount Vernon Gazette Editor Steven Mauren News 703-778-9415 or [email protected] Crime Report Photos courtesy of Fairf courtesy Photos The following incidents were reported a light complexion. He was wearing a by the Mount Vernon District Police Sta- brown shirt and dark pants. tion. COMMERCIAL ROBBERY: 8600 block of Richmond Highway (7-Eleven), ARMED ROBBERY: 7100 block of Jan. 28, around 6:20 a.m. An employee Richmond Highway, Feb. 17, around 9 reported that a man came in the store p.m. A 38-year-old man was walking and asked for cigarettes. When the em- home when three men approached him. ployee turned, the suspect displayed a One suspect displayed a handgun and handgun and demanded cash. The vic- demanded cash and the victim’s phone. tim gave the suspect an undisclosed The suspects ran off toward Richmond amount of cash and the suspect fled. He ax County Police ax County Highway and fled in a car. The victim was described as black, with short black did not require medical attention. hair and wearing dark clothing. The vic- ROBBERY: 7900 block of Richmond tim did not require medical attention. Highway, Feb. 16, 8:45 p.m. The victim ASSAULT ON LAW ENFORCE- was walking in the parking lot when a MENT/DWI/ARREST: Mount Vernon man approached her. The suspect dis- Highway/Richmond Highway, Jan. 28, played a knife, took property and fled. around 4:20 a.m. Officers responded to The victim was transported to a local a report of a woman who crashed into hospital with non-life-threatening inju- a ditch and tried to walk away from the The 10-pound female eagle ries. The suspect was described as black, scene. An investigation determined she was treated for a broken about 20 years old, with a medium was intoxicated. When officers tried to Animal Protection Police officers responded to a report of wing and was scheduled to build, and approximately 6 feet tall. He take her into custody, she actively re- an injured bald eagle at Justice Snowden Farm on be taken to a wildlife was wearing a red hooded sweatshirt sisted and kicked one of them. She was and a dark-colored winter cap. arrested, taken to Mount Vernon Police Wednesday Feb. 15. center in Waynesboro, Va. ATTEMPTED CARJACKING: 5500 Station and charged with DWI (second block of Malone Ridge Street, Feb. 16, within 5 years), unreasonable refusal 5:33 p.m. The victim was sitting in her (second offense), and assault on law vehicle in a parking lot. Two men ap- enforcement (second offense). Officers Rescue Bald Eagle proached her car. One man opened the ATTEMPTED ROBBERY: 8500 driver door and attempted to pull her block of Hyman Way. Jan. 21, 8:23 p.m. nimal Protection Police officers responded to members, police said they were finally able to bring from her car. The victim resisted and A man was walking alone, carrying a a report of an injured bald eagle at Justice the bird into protective custody. after a brief struggle, both suspects fled. pizza, when a man approached him and A Officers located and arrested them. A demanded that he hand over the pizza. Snowden Farm on Wednesday Feb. 15. The 10-pound female eagle was treated for a bro- 25-year-old man from Alexandria was The victim refused and the suspect The officers tried repeatedly to get close to the bird, ken wing and was scheduled to be taken to a wild- charged with attempted carjacking and punched him.