Night Vision Thermal Enhancement Technology Modernization

The Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) is in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, also known as the National Capital Region (NCR). The Department is currently comprised of approximately 1,492 officers who serve a population of more than 1.2 million people. One of the Department's primary missions is to prevent and fight crime.

To complete this mission, the Department created the Special Operation Division (SOD), which encompasses a full-time FCPD SWAT Team and Canine Unit to address violent crime specifically. These units are comprised of highly trained officers equipped with specialized equipment that aids patrol officers in their daily operations when confronted with certain high-risk calls for service. Not only do these units serve the FCPD, but they often provide mutual aid to surrounding jurisdictions in the NCR to assist in apprehending the most serious offenders.

When these teams are deployed, it is often because the resources and/or tactics needed for a particular situation have surpassed that of a patrol officer. Examples of these situations include a multitude of different events such as hostage/barricade situations, search warrants, searching for dangerous fleeing suspects, and searching for critical missing individuals. When engaged in these various operations, it is common for officers to move quickly from well-lit areas into unlit dark areas, whether on the interior of a building or overgrown wooded areas. Therefore, these officers routinely deploy their specialized equipment.

One piece of equipment the SWAT and Canine Unit officers are outfitted with is a Night Vision Goggle System (NVGS). The NVGS enables officers to move and identify threats in very low-light situations, adding an element of safety that could not be accomplished using the naked eye or white light. However, like any piece of technology, the NVGS has its limitations. One of the biggest drawbacks of NVGS is that in certain areas with thick vegetation, a person wearing dark clothing who remains still could blend into their surroundings, creating an officer safety risk.

Therefore, adding Night Vision Thermal Enhancement Technology, which detects a heat signature, coupled with the NVGS, would allow officers to see their surroundings fully, creating a safer working environment.