RED MILL — Coffee cup in hand, the new commanding officer of the First Police Precinct met with citizens at the Panera Bread in Red Mill Commons.
The “Coffee with a Cop” meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 31, was a chance to introduce Capt. Marcie Fox to citizens and stress that she values communication.
“I can’t fix what I don’t know,” she said. “Talk to us.”
This summer, Fox succeeded former Virginia Beach police Capt. Johnny Gandy as commanding officer in the precinct, which covers much of the main coverage area of The Independent News. Gandy is now the police chief in Madison County, Ala.
Fox is a Hampton Roads native who has served in the police department for 27 years. She served previously as a lieutenant in the detective bureau overseeing areas such a special victims and cold cases.
The precinct enjoys low crime rates, but Fox discussed a persistent concern for the area, as well as the city as a whole – the rise in property crimes involving automobiles that are often left unlocked by the victims and can contain valuables, car keys and even weapons.
Fox said the issue is with crimes such as larcenies from motor vehicles, and the crime is often a preventable one when people take simple precautions and lock unattended vehicles and remove valuables and keys.
“We’re asking please lock your cars,” the captain said. “Please don’t leave your guns in the car. … That is my biggest problem in the precinct right now.”
Fox also urged citizens to be aware that, while social media is a way to share information in communities about issues, it is important to also report any criminal activity directly to the police. Sometimes that does not happen.
“You have to report it as a crime,” Fox said. “It’s great the community is talking together, but they are not reporting the crime. … Reporting crimes is big.”
Fox reiterated that she wants to have strong communication between the precinct and the citizens of communities it serves.
“I thought it was great – an opportunity to meet the new captain,” said Dick Lohrmann, a Sandbridge resident who attended the gathering in Red Mill. “I’m glad she’s a local and very aware of the issues around Virginia Beach.”
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