Falls Church’s new-in-2024 police chief wants one of his eventual legacies to be safety improvements that benefit the drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists who share the city’s roads.
“I’ve made it a priority — we have stepped up enforcement,” Shahram Fard told City Council members Monday night (Oct. 28). “I take traffic safety very, very seriously.”
Fard in January became police chief and director of public safety. He succeeded Mary Gavin, who had served in the post for 11 years.
In the most recent year-to-date figures for 2024, the city has recorded 64 reportable traffic crashes, which involved injuries, substantial property damage or both.
Barring a major end-of-year spike, 2024 will end up below the 138 reportable accidents of 2023. That was the highest number in at least five years and mirrors a national upward trend in vehicular crashes.
After seeing significantly declines in 2020-21 because fewer people were using city streets, “we’re springing back to some pre-Covid norms,” said City Manager Wyatt Shields.
Fard attended the Oct. 28 meeting to provide Council members an overview of the police department’s 2023 annual report. The more involved discussion of traffic safety as part of his presentation was instigated by Council members, kicked off by David Snyder.
“Citizens are very interested,” Snyder said, asking for more data and analysis.
Fard noted that, in calendar-year 2023, there had been 12 crashes involving pedestrians. So far this year, the total is five, he said.
“We’re making some progress,” the chief said.
The back-and-forth represented “exactly the kind of conversation I think we want to have,” said Mayor Letty Hardi. She noted that with Falls Church’s population growing and new development, it would be key to have the data in order to make transportation-planning and public-safety decisions.
Pressed by several Council members, Fard said he is working toward getting the department once against accredited, as it had been in the past.
“We’re just trying to get back on track,” he said. “I can assure you we’re going to get accredited.”
“I appreciate your commitment,” Council member Erin Flynn said.
Until being selected from among more than three dozen applicants for the Falls Church post, Fard had a 25-year career with the Alexandria Police Department and spent two years with the Alexandria Sheriff’s Office.
His report to elected officials won praise from several of them.
“I feel like I have a new window on the work that you do,” Council member Justine Underhill said.
Founded in 1948, the Falls Church Police Department has 36 sworn officers augmented by administrative and support personnel, according to the city government. Its annual budget is about $12.5 million.
