Highway Blocked: A Case Study on Successful Communications During a 34-Hour Barricade on Route 1

Days following the release of body-worn camera footage of an officer-involved shooting of an unarmed suspect, the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) was thrust into a high-profile barricade with an armed, suicidal suspect who had just kidnapped her girlfriend, in one of the busiest areas in Washington, DC. FCPD Public Affairs was faced with manning a highly fluid scene with dozens of media members for multiple days and a suspect who was Face Timing local media threatening suicide and blocking one of the busiest highways. Walk through this scenario to see how they were able to take this multijurisdictional and highly volatile event and turn it into an opportunity to clearly demonstrate their commitment to public safety, de-escalation skills, and community care through creative strategies in clear, long-term communications.