Scottish Police Get Inside Look At Fairfax County Police Operations

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Police officials from Scotland visited the Fairfax County Police Department last week to tour the department’s facilities and learn the latest policing techniques and strategies from the largest jurisdiction in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

The one-day visit to Fairfax County, set up by the D.C.-based Police Executive Research Forum, was filled with events. Police Scotland officials started the day at the police department’s driver training range where the FCPD set up a SWAT hostage rescue vehicle, a K-9 patrol and bloodhounds, and an explosives ordinance disposal bomb bus.

The FCPD’s helicopter also was on display for the Police Scotland officials last Tuesday, along with its command bus, search and rescue bus, and drone. The department’s motor officers attended the event to meet with the Police Scotland officials.

Fairfax County police have hosted police officials and other visitors from around the world. "We take pride in the stellar reputation we have in our law enforcement community and learn as much from ours visitors, as they learn from us," a Fairfax County police spokesman said.

After visiting the FCPD training area, the police group from Scotland was shuttled to police headquarters for presentations from Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis, as well as the department's public affairs bureau, major crimes bureau, victim services incident support services, data team and internal affairs bureau.

The Police Executive Research Forum, which helped to organize the Police Scotland visit, is an independent research organization that focuses on critical issues in policing. PERF strives to identify best practices on fundamental issues such as reducing police use of force, developing community policing and problem-oriented policing, and evaluating crime reduction strategies.

When he headed the City of Baltimore police, Davis was the first big city police chief to implement PERF’s de-escalation policy at a time when it was controversial and some said it could get officers killed, PERF Executive Director Chuck Wexler told The Washington Post. Davis served as Baltimore’s police commissioner from 2015 to 2018.

Police departments in the United States also travel to Scotland to learn about that country’s policing strategies. Law enforcement agencies from other countries often visit Tulliallan Castle, Police Scotland's training center and headquarters, a short drive from Edinburgh.

Scottish officers will demonstrate non-confrontational tactics when a person threatens officers with a knife. Police try to keep the person at a safe distance while talking to the person until backup arrives. Officers then surround the person with riot shields, without using firearms or stun guns.

These strategies are more common in Scotland because gun violence is far less of a problem than in the U.S., NBC News reported. Far fewer Scottish officers carry guns, but they still must arrest people who may carry knives or other weapons.