Image Credit: Fairfax County Police Association (FCPA)

The Fairfax County Police Association (FCPA) released the following statement yesterday:

“Officers with the Fairfax County Police Department strive daily to serve a large and diverse community despite being forced to work with the lowest ratio of officers per capita of any major police department in the nation. We hold ourselves to the highest of standards, but honest mistakes are inevitable. On September 21st, one of our officers responded to a motor vehicle accident and found that an involved party was unlicensed. When the officer conducted a routine operator’s license query, they received an atypical notification for an administrative warrant of removal. The officer confirmed the warrant entry, notified ICE and briefly detained the subject for ICE to respond. The actions they took were done with the best of intentions and in keeping with what they believed was the spirit of the law.

“The FCPA condemns the statement made by Chief Roessler as inflammatory and demoralizing. This incident has been sensationalized and our officer has been sacrificed in favor of a media spectacle. This comes at a time when our department is already experiencing an unparalleled deterioration in morale and an unprecedented distrust of our leadership. Politically motivated decisions cannot be disguised as transparency. We appreciate the outpouring of support that has been received from our community and around the country.”

The Fairfax County Police Association (FCPA), a benevolent organization, was founded in 1942. To learn more, visit TheFCPA.org.