FREDERICKSBURG, VA — The Fredericksburg Police Department said it updated its policy after reviewing a November 2025 police response that has drawn community concern following the circulation of video footage online.
Officers responded Nov. 4, 2025, to a reported disturbance involving a civilian group that confronts and reports people suspected of child-related sexual offenses, police said. An officer spoke with the reporting party and an associate while asking Christopher Whiddon, 27, of Fredericksburg, to step aside as the initial investigation continued.
Whiddon briefly walked out of the camera's view, but officers maintained visual contact, police said. A backup officer later spoke with Whiddon, who was arrested and charged under Virginia Code § 18.2-374.3, which concerns using a communication system to facilitate certain offenses involving children.
Police said Whiddon was taken to Rappahannock Regional Jail and held on a $2,500 bond.
The department said its policies did not then require a detective to respond to such incidents. Effective Dec. 2, 2025, policy was changed to require an on-call detective to respond to similar calls, according to the release.
Police said the video does not show the entire incident and that the agency reviewed the matter in November 2025 to assess whether its procedures followed best practices.
Court records show Whiddon's case was certified to a grand jury. A Fredericksburg Circuit Court grand jury hearing is scheduled for Sept. 28, 2026. The charge remains an allegation, and no disposition is listed in the court records.
Also See ...
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Fredericksburg Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.