Fairfax County Police Department Releases 2023 Crime Report and Insights

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Fairfax County, VA – As major cities across the nation continue to gather and analyze their 2023 crime statistics, the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) has once again secured Fairfax County’s distinction as the safest jurisdiction of its size.  With the evaluation of violent crime ratings among all participating agencies cited in the Major Cities Chiefs Association (MCCA)’s Year-End Crime Report, Fairfax County stands in its commitment to safeguard its communities, serving as a model of safety and security.

In coordination with the MCCA release, the Fairfax County Police Department issued its Year End 2023 Crime Report. This report outlines Fairfax County crime data from January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2023. The report focuses on the crime offense categories that matter most to our communities, (e.g., Homicide, Burglary, Sex Offenses, Theft, Robbery, and Auto Theft), along with additional data on crashes, vehicle fatalities, pedestrian fatalities, and others. Instead of misleading percentages that lack context of overall crime in a jurisdiction, actual numbers of crime occurrences are outlined to accurately represent our county’s low crime rates.

2023 Key Highlights:

  • Traffic Safety Initiatives and Fatal Crashes

The FCPD’s 2023 traffic safety initiatives yielded significant, positive results with a noticeable decrease in both fatal crashes and number of fatalities. In 2023, FCPD conducted monthly traffic safety initiatives to include the revival of the Road Shark enforcement program, the “50 Means 50” campaign, Click It or Ticket campaigns, Move Over enforcement, and more. Notably, pedestrian fatalities saw a significant decline in 2023.

  • Theft of Motor Vehicle Parts

Theft of motor vehicle parts was a focus for FCPD in 2023, leveraging data analysis to identify crime patterns and hotspots. Through effective strategies, including the Summer Crime Prevention Initiative and collaboration with local auto businesses, the number of thefts dramatically decreased from 1,516 in 2022 to 875 in 2023.

  • Firearms and Emergency Substantial Risk Orders (ESROs)

The FCPD’s flagship Threat Assessment Management (TAM) Unit, along with a new ESRO Supervisor, played a crucial role in executing ESROs and recovering firearms from our communities. The department initiated a significant number of ESROs with 38% involving domestic violence and 41% related to individuals experiencing mental health crises. The FCPD’s efforts in addressing substantial risks resulted in the recovery of 1,192 firearms, including 223 firearms seized pursuant to ESRO cases.

  • DUI Enforcement

The FCPD DWI Enforcement Squad worked hard to increase arrests for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in our county. Through coordinated enforcement efforts, the FCPD increased arrests for driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol by approximately 20% over prior year and was able to keep county roads safer for residents and visitors.

  • Traffic Summonses and Dangerous Driving Behavior

FCPD officers proved vigilant in addressing dangerous driving behaviors throughout 2023, issuing over 18,000 more summonses (64,767) compared to the same period in 2022 (46,597), an almost 40% increase. These summonses include violations of speeding, reckless driving, failure to pay full attention, hands-free violations, and more. This work allowed our officers to help make a difference in shaping more responsible driving behaviors and kept our roads safer.

  • Assaults and Arrests

Most assaults reported in Fairfax County are categorized as simple assaults and are often domestic in nature or involve parties known to each other. In 2023, there was a notable increase in officers assaulted, with 472 cases compared to 378 in 2022. FCPD worked hard to combat this issue by placing over 34,000 criminal charges on over 23,000 individuals responsible for crimes in Fairfax County last year.

  • Auto Thefts

Despite a national increase in auto thefts, FCPD managed to keep incidents of auto thefts relatively flat. Auto thefts decreased through the fall and winter of 2023, and our Auto Crimes Enforcement (ACE) team continues to play a critical role in apprehending car thieves. The FCPD served as a leading agency in strategies to combat auto thefts in the National Capital Region this year.

  • Larcenies

In response to the nationwide surge in organized retail crime since 2021, FCPD focused its efforts on combating these crimes, yielding encouraging results. Our Tysons Urban Team, Shopping Center Units, and Crime Prevention teams spearheaded engagement and educational programs with businesses and proactively combatting many of these crimes so far this year.

  • Carjackings

Despite a nationwide surge in carjackings, FCPD is proud to say we successfully reduced incidents of carjackings in 2023. This reduction in carjacking incidents is attributable to the department’s effective strategies, including enhanced community engagement, data-informed patrols and initiatives, and strategic communication. In 2023, carjacking incidents decreased from 27 in 2022 to 25 in 2023.


The central message conveyed in this report is clear – Fairfax County stands as the safest large jurisdiction in America. Through data-informed enforcement strategies, FCPD played a pivotal role in reducing violent crime rates.

Continuously striving for progress, FCPD remains steadfast in its efforts to innovate and refine strategies aimed at combating crime.

For more information on our crime trends and ongoing updates from FCPD, please read our blog and follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram at @FairfaxCountyPD.