Falls Church Police Chief Mary Gavin To Retire In Early 2024

FALLS CHURCH, VA — The City of Falls Church will say farewell to longtime Police Chief Mary Gavin, who plans to retire in early 2024.

Gavin, who has been with the police department for 16 years, including 11 years as police chief, will retire on Jan. 6, 2024.

"This is a bittersweet announcement for me to make," said Gavin in a statement. "I have been abundantly blessed to serve as a police officer for the City of Falls Church, alongside a dedicated team of public servants. It’s been an incredible chapter in my life. But, I will leave with a sense of pride knowing the City of Falls Church Police Department will continue to hold the highest measure of respect and restraint for the authority bestowed upon them by the community we swear to serve and protect."

Gavin joined the City of Falls Church Police Department in December 2007, becoming deputy chief of police. She was appointed police chief in 2012 and is credited with adopting community policing principles from President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing initiative in 2015 and partnering with Center for Youth and Family Advocacy on advancing restorative justice practices. The police chief also implemented many of the recommendations from the city's Use of Force Review Committee, including body cameras and training officers in Crisis Intervention Team practices.

Before joining the City of Falls Church Police Department, Gavin worked for the Arlington County Police Department for 22 years, holding positions like patrol officer, school resource officer and commander of patrol districts and vice/narcotics division.

Gavin is an adjunct professor at American University, teaching a graduate level seminar on law enforcement. She has been involved with regional, national, and international law enforcement groups and associations, including seven years as a member of International Association of Chiefs of Police board, nine years as chairperson for both the Executive Board for the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy and Northern Virginia Regional Chief’s and Sheriff’s Association, nine years on the Board of the Arlington/Falls Church Alcohol Safety Action Program and being active in the Washington Regional Alcohol Program.

"The City of Falls Church has been so fortunate to have Mary Gavin as its Chief of Police over the past 11 years," said City Manager Wyatt Shields. "Mary believes deeply in the public service mission and by steadfastly acting on these values, she earned the support of our police officers and the trust of the community. Being Chief of Police is a very difficult job, and particularly so right now. She is, in my view, the best in the country."

The city plans to launch a recruitment process for a new police chief this fall.