A Penny For Your Thoughts

David M. Rohrer is the new police chief for Fairfax County. Rohrer is a 23-year veteran of the Fairfax County Police Department, and assumed his duties immediately after his selection by the Board of Supervisors on Monday. Rohrer was has a history of service. He began his career as a patrol officer in 1980 at the McLean District Station, and later moved on to become commander of the Fair Oaks Station, and later became deputy chief for Investigations and Operations Support.

Gang interdiction and suppression, managing traffic issues, pro-active outreach in recruiting diverse, multi-lingual applicants for the police department, and working better regionally, especially on homeland security, are some of the issues on Chief Rohrer’s immediate agenda. Rohrer succeeds Colonel J. Thomas Manger who accepted a position as police chief in Montgomery County, Maryland in January. The Fairfax County Police Department was headed by Acting Chief Suzanne Devlin for the past six months.

The appointment of Chief Rohrer caps a six-month national search for a new police chief. The field of applicants was narrowed to four internal candidates who first were interviewed by a selection panel and then recommended for interviews by the Board of Supervisors. A fifth external candidate was interviewed at the request of the Board, and a sixth external candidate dropped out before the interviews were completed. The Board spent the better part of Monday afternoon in closed session to select the new chief. Ultimately, the Board voted unanimously to support my motion, as Personnel Chair, to appoint Rohrer as chief, at an annual salary of $137,000. Rohrer is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, a Bronze Valor Award recipient, and a graduate of George Mason University. He also is a member of the Leadership Fairfax Class of 2004.

In other action on Monday, the Board of Supervisors authorized a public hearing to increase the cigarette tax from five cents to 20 cents per pack, effective September 1, 2004, and from 20 cents to 30 cents per pack, effective July 1, 2005. Fairfax and Arlington are the only Virginia counties authorized to levy a cigarette tax, and both currently levy the tax at five cents per pack. The increased tax, if authorized by the Board, is projected to generate an additional $5.8 million over a 12 month period. A county cigarette tax of 30 cents per pack would generate $11.5 million in Fiscal Year 2006. The Board also authorized a public hearing to increase the recordation tax from five cents per $100 valuation to 8.33 cents. The proposed increases are part of an effort by the Board of Supervisors to reduce the real estate tax burden placed on county residents. Both public hearings are scheduled for Monday, August 2, at 5:00 p.m. in the Board Auditorium of the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Parkway in Fairfax. For more information, or to register to speak, you may call the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors, 703/324-3151.