Herndon police trainees barred from Fairfax County academy after certificates were signed in Chinese
HERNDON, Va. (DC News Now) — A Northern Virginia police chief’s actions are under a spotlight and her department is facing consequences.
Town of Herndon Police Department Chief Maggie DeBoard was reportedly unhappy that her officers who graduated from the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy received a certificate signed by the academy director, Maj. Wilson Lee, in Chinese.
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“This is unacceptable for my agency. I don’t want our Herndon officers to receive these and I am requesting that they are issued certificates signed in English, the language they are expected to use as an officer,” DeBoard wrote to Lee in an email obtained by the Associated Press.
The most recent graduating class, which included mostly officers from Fairfax County but also from Vienna and Herndon, graduated on March 7. A week and a half later, Fairfax County’s deputy executive for safety and security sent a letter to DeBoard saying the town’s department’s affiliation with the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy is ending.
In response to an inquiry by DC News Now, the Herndon Town Manager, Bill Ashton, said it will launch an external review of the incident “to determine intent by all relevant parties.”
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He went on to say he “deeply regret[s] that this incident has been hurtful to our community.”
“It is unfortunate that Chief DeBoard’s recent interaction with Fairfax County’s Criminal Justice Academy has been viewed as discriminatory,” Ashton said. “I have personally known Chief DeBoard for over 12 years and this interaction is completely inconsistent with the dedicated public servant that I know, who has served this town and Fairfax County with honor and distinction for many years.”
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