I had a near miss with a bicyclist running a stop sign without slowing down and making a left turn a week ago. An Arlington police officer was stopped at the intersection. The bicyclist waved to the cop and sped on.
What I'm finding, checking news blogs and talking to Arlington residents in several neighborhoods, is that the Arlington Police are more reactive, and less effective, than ever. They respond to a huge number of complaints phoned into the County's communications center every year. Whether these complaints have merit or are meritless nothing is done to remediate whatever generates the complaints. A-Town is an excellent example. Goes on being a big drain on police resources. As for bicyclists, like A-Town they're another special interest group that's allowed to do it's free range thing. But if you drive a motor vehicle Arlington Police are becoming increasingly punitive. You better stop for that free range jaywalker, even if he or she is not in a crosswalk.
Arlington Police apparently can't effectively deal with armed robberies of convenience stores and domestic arguments. If you want to argue with your significant other about who gets to take out the garbage don't let your neighbors hear you. Police have begun considering domestic arguments hostage situations. Then there are the malicious complaints called in by neighbors, whether it's the butterfly garden on your front lawn or because you don't go along with what your Democrat-controlled civic association wants for your neighborhood. All taken seriously by the ACPD.
It's more than obvious that policing in Arlington is just a paycheck for 80% of Arlington police who don't live in the County. The other 20% enjoy zooming around reacting to whatever is called into the communications center. But that gets old after a few years. Best advice for now, until there's significant reform of the ACPD is - stay away from the police unless you have to contact them for something important.
And stay safe navigating around the Smart Growth mess the County's become.
Mark, 22205
