The Greenspring Democratic Club Hosted Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid on January 14

(Springfield, Va.) - On January 14, the Democratic Club at Greenspring retirement community in Springfield, Va. hosted Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey Kincaid. She provided an overview of Sheriff’s Office core functions, outreach programs, volunteer opportunities and current issues to a full room of more than 100 residents of the community. Residents also had the opportunity to ask a number of questions at the end of the program. The Democratic Club hosts a meeting each month open to all residents of Greenspring; guest speakers typically include elected officials, candidates for public office, and industry experts.

Sheriff Kincaid shared with the Greenspring audience the three core functions of the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office: manage the Adult Detention Center, provide security in the Fairfax County Courthouse, and serve civil law process. These functions are distinct from the Fairfax County Police Department, which is primarily responsible for crime fighting and prevention, patrol, and traffic safety. Another distinction is evident in the method in which leadership is determined; the Sheriff is elected by the citizens of Fairfax County and the City of Fairfax every four years while the Police Chief is appointed by the county’s Board of Supervisors.

According to Sheriff Kincaid, the Adult Detention Center (ADC) in Fairfax County takes in about 22,000 individuals each year, and on average, over 1,200 inmates can be found in the ADC on any given day. The Sheriff’s Office makes an effort to better prepare inmates who will re-enter the community by offering educational programs including GED test preparation and also employability and life skills. Sheriff Kincaid noted that more than one-third of the inmates in the ADC have a mental health disorder; to assist with stabilizing these inmates, the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board provides jail-based behavioral health services through a team of psychologists, social workers, and substance abuse counselors.

Sheriff Kincaid also provided an overview of some of the office’s community relations programs. One of those programs, Project Lifesaver, assists families and caregivers of individuals with cognitive disorders that may make them wander and get lost. The Sheriff’s Office provides bracelets or anklets that emit a silent tracking signal. When a loved one is missing, the Sheriff’s Office uses state-of-the-art tracking equipment to locate the individual. To date, they have been able to locate 100% of those reported missing through the Project Lifesaver program. Through another community program, the Sheriff’s Office provides free child safety seat inspections. Last year, the Sheriff’s Office evaluated 1,677 safety seats and found that only 5% had been correctly installed by a parent or caregiver.

There are also a number of volunteer opportunities available through the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office. According to Sheriff Kincaid, there are currently more than 300 volunteers including those from Opportunities, Alternatives and Resources (OAR), Alcoholics Anonymous, places of worship, and many more, contributing over 8,000 volunteer hours annually. Additionally, the Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications for Reserve Deputy Sheriffs, which are uniformed volunteers trained to perform a variety of operational and administrative assignments.

More information about the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office can be found at http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/sheriff/.

ABOUT GREENSPRING:
Greenspring, one of 18 retirement communities managed by Erickson Living, is situated on a scenic 58-acre campus in Springfield, Virginia. The community is home to nearly 2000 residents, many of whom reside in the over 1400 independent living apartment homes. At Greenspring, over 200 resident-run and resident-driven programs promote an engaged, fulfilling lifestyle that is reflected in resident satisfaction levels that exceed the industry average. Additional information about Greenspring can be found at www.ericksonliving.com.