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Falls Church police outline accreditation push, fleet crisis and staffing needs ahead of FY27
Summary
Chief Sean Farard told council the city’s crime rate is at a 17‑year low but outlined urgent needs: a dilapidated fleet leaving posts without vehicles, two key civilian hires for FOIA/PIO and background checks, and technology upgrades tied to accreditation and data-driven policing.
Chief Sean Farard told Falls Church City Council that the city’s preliminary 2025 crime figures show modest declines in overall crime even as incidents increased slightly, but warned that long‑deferred needs in vehicles, technology and civilian support threaten service delivery.
Farard said 2025 crime totals declined about 1.17% and the state-calculated crime rate fell roughly 8% — the lowest in 17 years — while noting incidents the department responds to rose 4% year over year. He credited investments the council has already made but outlined a list of pressing, largely unfunded needs.
Key points raised by the public-safety director: - Fleet shortfall: The police…
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