At yesterday's Board of Supervisors Public Safety Committee meeting, we received a report and presentation on a study of the Fairfax County Police Department's racial disparities in use of force incidents. You can watch the presentation here. Pictured above is Police Chief Kevin Davis providing comments to the Board on the study report. The study was requested in 2019 and covered the years 2016 to 2018.

Some background – In January 2020, the county awarded a contract to a research team from the University of Texas at San Antonio in partnership with researchers from the University of Cincinnati. The research team conducted the project from January 2020 through June 2021 and presented the report and recommendations to the Board yesterday. You can see the full report here and the presentation and study overview here.

As a result of the release of the report, Public Safety Committee Chair and Lee District Supervisor Rodney Lusk announced the following next steps:

I encourage your input on the report. If you have questions or comments, please email my office at [email protected]

Also, the July 4th holiday is upon us and I am very happy to report that as of today, 75 percent of Fairfax County adult residents (age 18+) have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Learn more. Enjoy your holiday!

Walter

If you have questions about COVID-19, you can contact the Fairfax County Health Department:

Mila is a very sweet and cuddly, six-year-old female cat with a lot of personality. More about Mila. And as you can see, she really hit it off with Delia!

Learn more about the Animal Shelter's adoption process, including requirements and adoption fee structure. They have dogs, cats and small animals available to adopt, and do same-day adoptions.

Allocations will be updated based on Board actions, new funding awards, spending trends and agency requests. You can see the full presentation here.

Transportation Committee: Status of Transition to Electric Buses

Watch meeting here.

The Board was presented with a draft of ActiveFairfax: Safe Streets for All, a framework designed to address systemic transportation safety issues with a focus on vulnerable road users and equity. This is part of a regional and nationwide effort to systematically reduce traffic deaths and serious injuries as much a possible. You can see the presentation here and the full draft plan here. 

To date, the county has distributed almost $100 million in financial assistance to our neighbors impacted by COVID. Currently, thanks to Emergency Rental Assistance funding the county has distributed about $1 million a week in rental assistance. The county's Eviction Data Dashboard identifies areas of the county where residents are most at risk of being evicted from their homes. More information on eviction prevention and resources are here

Fairfax County's Communities of Trust is hosting a community meeting with newly appointed Police Chief Kevin Davis on Tuesday, July 6 at 7 p.m. The meeting will be in person at Reston Community Center at Hunters Woods, 2310 Colts Neck Road.

Register to attend the meeting here. You can also participate via Zoom. Chief Davis will be presenting his plans for the Fairfax County Police Department followed by a Q&A. For more information contact Officer Megan Hawkins.

My office has heard from the community with questions and concerns about fireworks. With July 4th this weekend, here is some helpful information from our Fire and Rescue Department:

The General Assembly had a busy session this year and there are several new state laws that become effective tomorrow, July 1. More information from the state is here and will also be available tomorrow on the county's NewsCenter page.

Marijuana (HB2312 / SB 1406) There will be no criminal or civil penalties for possession of up to one ounce of retail marijuana by persons who are 21 years of age or older, and persons 21 years of age or older may cultivate up to four marijuana plants for personal use at their place of. Possession of more than one ounce of retail marijuana by a person 21 or older would be subject to a civil penalty of no more than $25; however, possession of marijuana by a person under 21 would be subject to no more than a $25 civil penalty and mandatory participation in a substance abuse treatment or education program or both.

Bicycles on Roads (HB 2262) Requires the driver of a motor vehicle to change lanes when overtaking a bicycle or certain other vehicles when the lane of travel is not wide enough for the overtaking motor vehicle to pass at least three feet to the left of the overtaken vehicle. The bill also removes the limitations on riding bicycles and certain other vehicles two abreast.

Reston Comprehensive Plan Study Task Force meetings will be held through July. To learn more about the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study and the task force, visit the Reston Comprehensive Plan Study webpage. You can watch a live stream of the meetings on YouTube Live. (Please note that each meeting has a unique link and call-in information).

The Fairfax County Department of Transportation is conducting a survey for input on public parking needs and usage in Tysons Urban Center and Reston Transit Station Areas to help plan the county’s Managed Parking program. Learn more.

Fairfax County Government offices are closed Monday, July 5, in recognition of the Independence Day holiday on July 4. However, some facilities are open and schedules vary. Learn more.

During the Town of Vienna's Liberty Amendments Month (now through July 19), you can take a tour of African American Sites in the town. The self-guided tour of contributions of Vienna’s African Americans from 1867 to 2006 was compiled by longtime residents Sylvia Taylor and Gloria Runyon. More information is available at historicviennainc.org when you click on ‘History Talks’. Learn more.