Eastern Loudoun Sheriff’s Station Rises

Progress is visible as construction continues on the $7.9 million Eastern Loudoun Sheriff’s Station on East Frederick Drive in Sterling, adjacent to Rolling Ridge Elementary School and Briar Patch Park. The 18,000 square foot station is slated to open in January 2010, with an open house tentatively planned for March or April, according to Lt. Brian Harpster of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s office. The community has generally welcomed the addition of a Sheriff’s Office substation to the area, given the rash of violent crimes and gang activity that has plagued the area in recent years.

 

The Sheriff’s office “statement of justification” for the Eastern Loudoun Sheriff’s Station was filed with Loudoun County in November 2007 as part of the special exception process addressed community concerns and needs, and cited “Increasing calls for law enforcement services as well as incidences of gang activity and violent crime are significant concerns for citizens in eastern Loudoun. Locating a Sheriff's substation in Sterling is expected to provided substantial public safety services to the community reduce out of sector time by reducing deputy trips to Leesburg and provide a community meeting venue for residents and community groups. It will also provide a strong law enforcement presences in the most densely populated and diverse area of the county and will serve to strengthen the sheriff-community partnership and expand the community-policing program.”

 

 

Lt. Harpster acknowledged that the construction project is “a little ahead of schedule,” but cautioned that it could be countered by fall and winter weather delays. Harpster said he or Captain Ricky Frye attend the “progress meeting” held every two weeks on the project, as the Sheriff’s office excitedly awaits the opening of the station. Capt. Frye–and in his absence, Lt. Harpster–monitor the progress at the facility, which will serve as the Sheriff’s Office headquarters in eastern Loudoun County.

 

Lt. Harpster explained that the eastern Loudoun Sheriff’s Station differs from the Dulles South public safety station, which opened in 2007. At the Dulles South center, the Sheriff's Office and Loudoun Fire-Rescue Services share the facility, while only the Sheriff's office will occupy the Sterling facility. County policy–and ideally,county plans–note a substation should be provided for every 75,000 Loudoun residents, and plans call for such a center in Ashburn and another in western Loudoun.

The Loudoun County School Board deeded the four acres from the Rolling Ridge school site to Loudoun County for the site of the Eastern Loudoun Sheriff’s Station.

 

Capt. Frye is slated to command the Eastern Loudoun Sheriff’s station, described as a state-of-the-art, 18,000-square-foot facility that will provide patrol, crime prevention, and other law enforcement services to the Sterling area. In addition to staff offices, a community room, deputy workrooms and temporary prisoner-holding facilities are planned.

 

“The safety center will ultimately house a station commander, an assistant station commander, a criminal information records specialist, and an administrative assistant and a customer services assistant,” said Kraig Troxell public information officer for the LCSO. “Sheriff's Deputies will be assigned to the station in the near future as the station will be operated 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week. Residents will also be able to receive services including fingerprinting, records check and concealed weapons permits. The station will offer a community room available for public use to non-profit organizations.” 

Lt. Harpster explained that the facility includes a “sallyport,” described as a safe and secure entrance for law enforcement personnel to bring persons apprehended for short term and temporary holding before being processed out. Lt. Harpster advised that the Eastern Loudoun Sheriff’s Station was not designed for–nor would it provide–overnight detention, and no meals would be served at the facility.

 

He also noted that the facility’s community room would provide a place for community meetings such as the regularly-scheduled Sterling Business Owners meetings with the Sheriff’s office, as well as perhaps Homes Owners Association meetings or other public uses at the facility, which is easily accessible from Sterling Boulevard.

 

While the Loudoun County Sheriff’s office plans to provide 24/7 coverage 365 days a year, Lt. Harpster said that funding for staffing and such coverage remains a concern.

 

For more information on the Eastern Loudoun Sheriff’s Station, contact Captain Ricky Frye @ Ricky.Frye@loudoun.gov or call 703-737-8079, or Lt. Brian Harpster at 571-258-3142.