Lake Barcroft is a relatively safe community with little or no serious crime. But we do have some property crimes: occasional auto thefts (mostly unlocked), items stolen from cars, burglaries, frequent trespassing and some vandalism.
To report any safety concerns or non-emergency incidents, please use our dedicated email address: security@lakebarcroft.org. We have also recently set-up a security phone number that residents can use, which is (571) 554-2629. This line is available for reporting issues within the common property, which includes the five beaches and the woman’s garden. These issues can be related to suspicious activity, vandalism, trespassing, or any other concerns that do not necessarily require an immediate emergency response. This line will be answered by a receptionist 24 hours a day, that works for our Security firm (Certus Protection). The receptionist will take down the information and then forward your concerns to the security team to address when they are on duty. PLEASE NOTE- this phone number will not be the same as calling the police and a security guard may not always be available for immediate dispatch. If you need immediate assistance, please call the Fairfax County Police Department non-emergency line at (703) 691-2131. If there is an emergency or you witness criminal behavior, please call 911.
We are in regular contact with the Fairfax County police and, at times, request a focus by their regular patrols on an area where there have been problems: night parties on beaches, people hanging out in cars, unleashed dogs, etc. While the police patrol Lake Barcroft – as they do other neighborhoods – we also request and pay for some off-duty police patrols, especially in the summer months.
You can keep your home and belongings safer by locking your car, not leaving anything of value in the car and locking the doors of your house. The police offer a free security review of your house (contact the Mason District station at 703-256-8035). But the police cannot cover our community 24/7/365. We all can be the eyes and ears for the neighborhood. Here are some ways you can help.
- Join Neighborhood Watch (NW), a national organization that uses community volunteers to keep an eye on their community and report anything this is suspicious or just not normal. Lake Barcroft has an active group in Section 2 (roughly mid-Lakeview Dr. area). We are always looking to for volunteers to expand NW into other parts of our community. The police offer a required training for Neighborhood Watch on a regular basis at the Mason District station – even if you do not plan on joining, the training provides some useful tips on what to do when you see something that is suspicious. If you are interested in starting a group in your area, contact the Mason District police station at 703-256-8035 or email FCPDMasonCPO@fairfaxcounty.gov.
- If you are not in an organized group, you can still keep an eye out as you drive or walk around the neighborhood or even from a window of your house. If you see something that does not look right, call the police non-emergency number 703-691-2131 or report it to the police online system. Of course, if it is serious and urgent, call 911. Do not approach, follow or engage with someone who seems suspicious. That is the job of the police.
Chris Doerflinger is the Community Safety chair of the Lake Barcroft Association board. He can be reached at security@lakebarcroft.org.