Have you ever received a speeding ticket in the mail from the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD)?  Well, if so, you are not alone. In 2025, over 60,000 tickets were issued for speeding, based on the ACPD PhotoSPEED Program that uses camera technology at 28 locations. I was able to obtain that statistic thanks to the recent publication of the ACPD annual report for 2025. It is a remarkable document, filled with many statistics, details, and history. 

Here is one quick bit of trivia for you: The Arlington County Police Department was officially established in 1940, in response to a surging population boom and a need for professional law enforcement. Initially starting as a modest nine-member force, the ACPD now has 310 members of “Department Sworn Staff.” For reference, the County population was 57,040 in 1940; today’s estimated population is 245,000. 

The report is available online, on the Arlington County government website. I highly recommend you look at it. You can discover where all those speed cameras are located and find out which ones have issued the most tickets. The prize for most tickets goes to the camera on the 5800 block of Williamsburg Boulevard, with over 10,000 tickets issued! 

There is also a PhotoRED program, catching those who run red lights. Over 50,000 tickets were issued at the 20 locations with red-light cameras, with a whopping 14,816 tickets issued for the traffic light at Spout Run Parkway and Langston Boulevard.  Much attention is paid to transportation safety, which is so important, especially considering the recent hit-and-run fatality on Columbia Pike (along with the death earlier this year of a woman on an electric scooter killed when hit by a bus). 

There is much more to learn by looking at the entire 58-page report, starting with a concise summary provided by Chief Andy Penn, followed by a Highlights section with several informative videos (“The Stories Behind the Badge”). I especially appreciated the video about the Peace Officers Memorial that is located outside the Courthouse. The report also contains a section called the “Hall of Honor,” honoring the line of duty deaths of seven police officers from 1935 to 2016. Those seven officers are listed on the Police Officers Memorial. 

The report also reflects the challenges facing public safety efforts. One section in the report comes to mind: “Use of Force.” The statistics include types of force used, and the reason force was used. Tasers were used nine times in 2025, and firearms were not used at all. Sadly, in early May this year there was an incident involving the use of firearms by two police officers, resulting in the death of a man who had barricaded himself with a knife inside a Columbia Pike 7-11 store. An investigation is being performed by a regional Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT). Pursuant to ACPD policy, the officers have been placed on routine administrative leave. Following completion of the investigation by CIRT, the investigative file will be forwarded to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for independent review. 

The most informative section in the report might be the “Crime Prevention and Control” section, with statistical information on crimes, arrests, and more. This section also contains detailed descriptions on “Notable Criminal Investigations” and “Notable Sentences in Criminal Investigation.” These reports provide a revealing snapshot of the Public Safety work of the ACPD. 

Getting back to the reference to the Peace Officers Memorial, unfortunately one police officer will be added to the Hall of Honor next year. On May 22, 2026, Corporal Barry Foust lost his life as a result of cancer that he contracted while working in the rescue and recovery operations at the Pentagon following the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. On the morning of September 11, Corporal Foust was on patrol on Columbia Pike when Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. He immediately relayed incident information over the radio, beginning Arlington County’s response to the attack. Corporal Foust remained working at the site for the following week, collecting evidence and the remains of victims.  Let me close with these words from the Hall of Honor: “To serve and protect was their oath; to honor them is our duty.”