Fairfax County board reaffirmed
its support for newly appointed police chief, despite reports of lawsuits he
faced earlier in his career.
FAIRFAX
COUNTY, VA — Fairfax County Board of Supervisors threw their support behind new
Chief of Police Kevin Davis, whose appointment has been clouded by recent
reports of use-of-force lawsuits against him in his past. The board appointed
Davis on April 23, and his first day on the job was Monday.
In the
aftermath of Davis' appointment, several news outlets in
the Washington, D.C. area reported that the incoming police chief had a series of use-of-force cases brought
against him when he worked for the Prince George's County Police Department in
Maryland earlier in his career.
The board
issued a statement late Tuesday afternoon saying Davis was chosen with their
full support and confidence.
"We
are aware of the incidents reported in the local media," the statement
said. "While they occurred decades ago, we understand the concerns of the
community. We expect Chief Davis to respond to questions regarding those
incidents in the media and directly with the community and the Board of
Supervisors. He has also demonstrated through his leadership that his past
experiences have shaped his focus on reform. He has our trust to guide the
Fairfax County Police Department through the challenges ahead and build on the
reform efforts already made."
In the
early 1990s, Davis — who Board Chairman Jeff McKay described as someone who will further the
county's work on police reform — stopped a soon-to-be law student named Mark
Spann while he was driving in Prince George's County.
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After
Spann was stopped, Davis violently took him to the ground and arrested him,
Spann told NBC4. He eventually
won his civil case against Davis.
Six years
later, Davis was sued again, this time for false imprisonment and arrest of a
man who said Davis and other officers essentially kidnapped him for a night,
NBC4 reported. The victim won a civil lawsuit against Davis.
Davis
went on to become the assistant chief in Prince George's County before getting
jobs leading Anne Arundel County and Baltimore city's police departments.
In its
statement, the board reiterated its commitment to collectively reform policing
in the county and expected Davis "to be a strong and effective advocate
for the types of reforms that are designed to protect at risk communities from
police misconduct."
On
Monday, FCPD posted a photo to its official Twitter account of Rev. Anthony
McCarthy, a former NAACP spokesman and a former public information office for
three Baltimore mayors.
"Baltimore
has had a long line of police commissioners," McCarthy said, in the
Twitter post. "Kevin Davis has a human touch. People genuinely like him
and admire him, both black and white. He was exceptionally aware and sensitive
of race issues because of the obvious demographics of our city. Fairfax County
will be well-served by Kevin Davis."
In a
second quote posted by FCPD Tuesday on Twitter, Tessa Hill Aston, former
president of the Baltimore NAACP, praised Davis, saying that "he listened
and acted" when they worked together in Baltimore.
McKay and
Lee District Supervisor Rodney Lusk, who chairs the board's public safety
committee, are hosting the call-in, public input session about Davis at 7 p.m.,
on Thursday. Those wishing to participate in the community input session may
call 703-324-1020. Anyone who wishes to testify by phone during the event or
submit video or written testimony must sign up in advance by emailing clerktotheBOS@fairfaxcounty.gov.