The Alexandria Police Department is committed to transparency and maintaining trust with the community we serve. The purpose of the Critical Incident Community Briefing (CICB) is to present factual information to our community about an officer-involved critical incident.
The CICB may include relevant video footage, evidence, and the law enforcement response to this incident.
Because most investigations are still active at the time of CICB recording, our goal is to provide the public with a better understanding of what occurred based on what we know.
The Alexandria Police Department conducts thorough use-of-force investigations, which typically require detectives to interview multiple witnesses, view numerous hours of video footage, and analyze a significant amount of forensic evidence.
These portrayals are not intended to draw any conclusions about whether the officers involved acted consistently with the department’s policies and the law until all the facts are known, and the investigation is finalized. Investigations involving the use of force could take several months to complete.
A word of caution, the images you are about to see may be disturbing and you may hear strong or coarse language.
FAQs Critical Incident Community Briefings
The Alexandria Police Department (APD) continues to work with various stakeholders to provide a clear and unbiased account of critical incidents that involve police use of lethal force, in-custody deaths or other actions resulting in death or serious bodily injury. The goal of this effort is to increase transparency and maintain trust with the community we serve. The purpose of the Critical Incident Community Briefing (CICB) is to present factual information to the community. A CICB may contain portions of 911 calls and relevant video imagery that depicts the actions and events leading up to and including the critical incident. Viewer discretion is advised.
What is a critical incident?
An incident involving police use of lethal force, in-custody deaths, or other action resulting in serious bodily injury as defined by Department Directive 2.8.02.
What elements may be included in a CICB?
These briefings contain relevant audio and video footage of the critical incident and may include maps, excerpts of 911 calls, body-worn camera video, and evidence photos so that the community will have a better understanding of the law enforcement response and the outcome of the incident including explanations of the investigative process.
How are the video and other materials selected for CICB?
The City of Alexandria, Alexandria Police Department and the Alexandria Office of Independent Policing Auditor (AIPA) collaborate, and review materials related to the critical incident. APD and the AIPA work together to ensure relevant audio and video footage is shown in an unbiased way, so the viewer may see how the situation unfolded.
Why is the police department releasing a CICB?
The goal of releasing a CICB is to increase transparency and trust with members of our community, as the Alexandria Police Department continues to work with various stakeholders to provide a clear and unbiased account of critical incidents or officer-involved shootings to the community.
Why is the incident footage presented in a packaged manner?
When critical incidents surrounding police use-of-force occur, processes and protocols as directed by department policy are utilized. The CICB provides narrated portions to assist the public in understanding the circumstances behind the use of force.
Why is the video footage edited or redacted?
If necessary, materials presented in this video have been redacted and edited in effort to protect privacy rights and to avoid the release of information that state law prohibits the Department from releasing.
What types of edits or redactions may be applied?
The edits and redactions applied to released materials may include, but are not limited to, voices, faces, identification, license plates, computer screen content and audio that contains personal identifying information of individuals.
Will the full body-worn camera footage be made available to the public?
The body-worn camera footage of an incident may be released upon a public records request in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and may be requested online at alexandriava.gov/FOIA.
Will the public continue to receive notifications when a critical incident occurs?
The CICB does not replace the initial notifications or briefings provided to the public or the media regarding a critical incident pertaining to an officer involved shooting.
How can I review the policy directives of the Alexandria Police Department?
The public can review police directives on the Alexandria Police Department’s website at alexandriava.gov/police-department/police-department-directives
Where will CICBs be made available?
The public can view a CICB via the City of Alexandria Police Department’s website.
How will the public be informed when a CICB is available?
When a CICB is released, the public will be informed upon the release by notification on the Alexandria Police Department’s social media channel of Facebook and X, as well as through the City of Alexandria’s Police eNews. To sign-up for eNews, visit alexandriava.gov/eNews.