Politics & Government

Mayor Discusses Police Chain of Command, Injured Officer

Next governing body meeting will be held at the Manassas Park Police Department.

The Manassas Park Governing Body is planning a change in scenery Tuesday by holding its first meeting of the month at the Manassas Park Police Department.

Frank Jones, the Manassas Park mayor, said it’s not unusual for city council meetings to take place at the department. It's just something they do every once in a while, he added.

 “It’s something we do periodically, whenever the notion strikes,” Jones said this week. “It’s also a good way to remind people that we have a community room in the police department.”

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The meeting will be held in the community room at the police station, which is located to the immediate left of the first-floor lobby.

The room is always open to Manassas Park residents who want to use it for meetings or other events.

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 The mayor said city council is also planning a closed meeting so they can be updated on the police department’s operations.

 There probably won’t be a public update on the condition of the

 The officer was placed on administrative leave immediately after the incident and he remains on leave, Jones said.

 His leave is not so much administrative, as it is a case of his getting well, Jones said.

There is no hard date for his return to the job, Jones said.

The officer's identity hasn't been released and it probably won't be any time soon, the mayor said.

 The investigation into the incident is ongoing.  When asked, Jones declined to say what agencies were involved in the investigation or, if it was an internal investigation led by the police department command staff.

 “Any entity that needs to be involved (will be involved) … we’ll call in whoever we need,” Jones said.

 The chain of command in the police department, for all intents and purposes, leads directly to the mayor, as police Chief John Evans answers to Jones.

 The heads of all the other city agencies, except elected officials,  answer to the city manager, Jim Zumwalt. The city manager, in turn, answers to city council members who are all elected.

 The police chief used to answer to the city manager, but that changed about a year ago, Jones said.

 The former city manager knew he was leaving and that’s when the change took place, Jones said.

 “So for the purpose of continuity, we moved it under me,” Jones said. "The pressing issues for the city manager are economic development and the city budget, not public safety."

 Manassas Park city attorney Dean Crowhurst became the interim city manager after Payton’s departure and stayed in that position until Zumwalt began working January

“It’s allowed in the city charter, the police chief can either work for the city manager or the mayor,” Jones said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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