Huge - Arlington VA police department has withdrawn all its officers from across the river in Washington DC. At the direction of Arlington County Board, Arlington PD will not continue aiding the National Guard and DC police.
2) “The County is re-evaluating the agreements that allowed our officers to be put in a compromising position that endangered their health and safety, and that of the people around them, for a purpose not worthy of our mutual aid obligations.” Wow.
3) I’ve never been so proud of Arlington as tonight. (For those not familiar with Arlington, it use to be Southwest half of the District of Columbia diamond-shaped land grant. As former part of DC, it later retroceded back to Virginia in 1846. Arlington is home to the Pentagon).
4) because of the history and proximity, Arlington police long had mutual protection & mutual aid pact w/ DC police. But basically Arlington County Board overruled it (Arlington does not have a mayor, it’s governed by a 5 member ‘knights of the roundtable’ style elected council).
5) So proud of Arlington County board @Matt4Arlington, @kcristol @CD4arlington @libbygarvey for their decision to withdraw Arlington PD from DC tonight. (I’m sure the late @erik4arlington too if he was still alive, as would @arlingtondems candidate @TakisKarantonis after July).
6) Even the DC police department are rejecting the violent treatment of protesters and media tonight. DC police are distancing themselves from the violent videos earlier. So glad Arlington PD has withdrawn and refusing to engage.
7) @ArlingtonVA criminal justice reform was catalyzed last year when former public defender @parisa4justice was elected Arlington commonwealth attorney (district attorney) after ousting incumbent. This galvanized conversations on police criminal justice reform. Elections matter!
