New Arlington Police Chief Al Jones says he’ll ‘connect with residents,’ build trust
In his first public appearance before residents, Arlington Police Chief Al Jones repeated his commitment to reach out to community members and evaluate existing agency practices.
In a brief address Monday evening at Esports Stadium Arlington, Jones, City Manager Trey Yelverton and Mayor Jeff Williams asked residents for patience as Jones learns about the city’s neighborhoods and communities. Jones began serving as police chief Jan. 11.
“We need to continuously look at ways to make things better, to connect with residents and businesses to create opportunities and longstanding relationships that will stand the test of time,” Jones said.
After speaking, Jones spent the rest of the event speaking with people on the stadium floor.
Deborah Spell, a Unity Council member who attended, said she was glad to learn Jones was selected and would like to see Arlington Police form a civilian review board.
“Transparency is very important,” Spell said. “It should not (happen in) months, it should be immediately.”
Asked about his first major project with Arlington Police, Jones said he is still learning the city — though he does not see any major issues thus far.
“Right now there’s really no true issue that I have come in and say, ‘I need to clean this up right now,’” he told media after the event.
Jones was a Baltimore County Police officer for 25 years, most recently heading up the agency’s 1,550-person Community Relations Bureau. He was selected from a pool of 74 applicants in the city’s five-month nationwide search, standing out for his experience and practice of community policing.
Williams and Jones also acknowledged confusion over Baltimore County versus the city of Baltimore. The county agency covers 612 square miles and serves 835,000 residents.
The other difference, Jones said, is in how the agency treats residents.
“In Baltimore County, we focus on community policing,” Jones said. “We actually build trust with our community.”
Jones told local media he would continue to make rounds across the city in his first weeks as chief. Jones said he would also like to hold an in-person town hall after the pandemic.
“We need to lend our support and reach out a hand to him and his family,” Williams said.
This story was originally published January 25, 2021 at 5:49 PM.
