Police Chief Honors Falls Church, Alexandria Officers With Award For Life-Saving Efforts

FALLS CHURCH, VA — Officers from police agencies in the cities of Falls Church and Alexandria were awarded the Falls Church Chief of Police Award at an event on Wednesday.

The special award was given to the officers for the interagency cooperation between the Falls Church Police Department and the Alexandria Police Department that led to saving the life of a person who was having a mental health crisis.

At Wednesday's ceremony in Falls Church, the officers received the award for their "exemplary actions" — assisting a person through “kindness, compassion, and a willingness to provide and facilitate services desperately needed,” the Falls Church Police Department said.

The department did not provide any more details about the mental health crisis that occurred.

Mary Gavin, chief of police for the City of Falls Church, said in a statement that her department works to ensure that officers receive the latest and best in training, equipment and policies so that they can “navigate delicate calls for service involving people in crisis.”

“The most important factor is that the officers are genuinely great people who care about those they serve,” Gavin said. “I am profoundly proud of the city's first responders. They continually demonstrate courage, ingenuity, and care in times of crisis-saving lives is what they do."