ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Alexandria Police Department will host the official nationwide kickoff and opening ceremony for National Faith & Blue Weekend next month, along with the department's inaugural prayer breakfast, the department announced last week.
APD is inviting leaders and clergy of all faiths, congregations, families and residents to take part in the weekend, which runs Oct. 9-12.
The breakfast will bring together faith and law enforcement leaders from Alexandria and across the National Capital Region, according to the city. Prayer and worship leaders representing Alexandria's faith traditions will help open the weekend, organized around the themes of peace, unity, leadership and hope.
APD has not publicly announced the date, time or location of the kickoff ceremony or the prayer breakfast. The Alexandria Brief requested details and an interview with the department last week; none has been scheduled.
Faith & Blue was started in 2020 by MovementForward Inc., an Atlanta-based civil rights organization, working with the U.S. Justice Department's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. It grew out of the group's One Congregation One Precinct program, which pairs officers at the beat or precinct level with local houses of worship. The weekend is co-convened by MovementForward and the COPS Office, with organizers from national law enforcement groups and faith traditions. Its materials list FirstNet, Built with AT&T, and the Motorola Solutions Foundation as sponsors. The city calls it one of the country's largest police-community engagement efforts.
APD ties its participation to the Relationships pillar of the public safety plan Police Chief Tarrick McGuire presented in June.
A first event, and an invitation
APD and the Alexandria Sheriff's Office held the first local event of the season Saturday, a drive-thru food collection at Alfred Street Baptist Church, 325 S. Alfred St. Officers were recognized at a service at Alfred Street during last year's Faith & Blue weekend, and the church's volunteers also ran a food drive then.
APD is now asking congregations to host their own events during the weekend. The city suggests shared meals, coffee with officers, listening sessions, children's reading time, prayer or interfaith programs, service projects, youth activities, open houses, facility tours and neighborhood walks. Neighborhood groups and businesses are also invited to take part.
Groups must register by Friday, Oct. 2, through the city's Faith & Blue Weekend page, after which a member of APD's Faith & Blue team will follow up on police participation and promotion. Registration does not guarantee that officers will attend; assignments depend on staffing and operational needs.
Participating events will be listed on the city's page as they are confirmed. As of Monday, the only weekend event on the national Faith & Blue listing with an Alexandria address was a Fairfax County police food drive, Stuff a Cruiser, from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 9 at the department's Mount Vernon District Station, 2511 Parkers Lane — in Fairfax County, outside the city. APD collects registrations for city events through its own form.
The Alexandria Brief
Alexandria, Va. news and information you won't find anywhere else.
The Alexandria Brief runs solely on reader support — no ads, no corporate owner. If this story was worth reading, consider becoming a monthly or annual supporter.
Become a monthly or annual supporter · Make a one-time contribution
Ryan Belmore, an Alexandria resident and journalist, is the founder and publisher of The Alexandria Brief. Send tips and feedback to ryan@alexandriabrief.com.
© 2026 Alexandria News, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.
