New Police Captain Assigned to West End

Alexandria’s West End now has a new captain overseeing police activity in its part of the city.

Capt. Shahram Fard, a Maryland native, has worked at the Alexandria Police Department since 1995. He started as a dispatcher before becoming an officer after attending the police academy in 1996.

Fard has worked with the department’s police dog unit and as part of a homeland security team. He was promoted to sergeant in 2006 and spent two years overseeing the homeland security unit, which later became the department’s tactical anti-crime unit.

His experience also includes supervising property crime units as well as financial and computer crimes. In January 2011 he was promoted to lieutenant and worked in the narcotics division.

“Our primary goal is to reduce crime,” Fard said. “That’s my main objective at the end of the day. But also we want to improve the quality of life. I’m familiar with the areas when it comes to drugs compared to other areas, so I want to concentrate on those areas and increase our presence.”

The West End poses a challenge because of the number of people packed into condos and apartments compared to Old Town or Del Ray, Fard said.

“Our sector, because it is much more geographically dense and densely populated, there is more crime and more calls for service,” he said.

Fard also wants to help educate the community on how to avoid becoming a victim of crime and reduce traffic congestion, if possible.

Fard, 41, is married and has three children.

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