Arlington County police Captain Brian Berke command‚s the county‚s second district, which spans from Court House through Rosslyn and into Crystal City. There‚s little violent crime in the area, but the many businesses and cars parked in garages are easy targets for thieves. His advice: keep your belonging locked up and an eye out for suspicious people.
What inspired you to become a police officer?
I was in my junior year of high school and was thinking about going to college at Virginia Tech to study forestry. But between my junior and senior year I changed course after working with the school resource officers and thought being a police officer should be my future. I ended up going to American University and getting a degree in criminal justice. Arlington was the first place I applied to out of college and I‚ve been here for 21 years.
What challenges do you face?
We provide our citizens and businesses with a high level of service and our constituents have become accustomed to that and have high expectations. Keeping up with those expectations is a full-time job.
What crime trends are you witnessing?
With the economy in decline we‚ve seen an increase in larceny from vehicles and thefts from things like open garages. They’re taking the electronics out of cars, particularly global positioning systems, iPods and laptops. Bikes are being stolen from garages. The message we’re trying to get out is: Don’t leave valuables in your car. …Some people think that by not locking their car they’re preventing a window from getting smashed, but many thieves will just walk around a neighborhood or a parking garage and
try door handles until they find one unlocked. …Parking garages make for easy shopping for thieves.
What type of crime do you see in relation to the many businesses?
Office thieves can be problematic. People need to be aware of people who don’t belong. Office creepers, they’re called. They’ll grab purses and cell phones off people’s desks. Everyone needs to maintain their safety and call the police if they see someone suspicious in their workplace. …If you get up from your desk, lock your
purse or wallet in a drawer.
– Freeman Klopott
