City of Fairfax Police Chief Erin Schaible Announces Retirement

(Dec. 23, 2024) — City of Fairfax Police Captain Natalie Hinesley has been selected to serve as acting police chief for the City of Fairfax Police Department. Capt. Hinesley, the most senior captain in the department, will hold this position until such time as a new chief is selected and sworn in, which will follow the 2025-26 city council’s appointment of its next city manager. She will assume the acting police chief’s duties on Jan. 3, 2025.

The need to select an acting police chief arose when current City of Fairfax Police Chief Erin Schaible announced her retirement earlier this month. Chief Schaible, Fairfax City’s first female police chief, is leaving after five years on the job. She worked previously in the Fairfax County Police Department for nearly three decades, retiring from that organization as deputy chief.

During Chief Schaible’s tenure, she focused on building a strong relationship with the community. Popular community outreach events included Ice Pops with Cops, National Night Out, and a drive-thru Halloween trick-or-treat trail.

To address the nationwide challenge of hiring police officers, the city’s police department modernized recruitment protocols, increased salaries, created an ambassador program and new cadet program, and expanded its internship program with neighboring George Mason University.

Fairfax City’s low crime rate makes it one of the safest jurisdictions in the Washington, D.C. metro region. Chief Schaible oversaw other changes to ensure the safety of Fairfax City residents, including embracing new technologies, installing traffic cameras, joining the regional drone unit, expanding the K-9 program, and creating a community response team to provide proactive services to persons in crisis. In 2023, the department’s case closure rate was 82.3%.

Reception — Friday, Jan. 3, 2025

The public is invited to attend a reception on Jan. 3, 2025, to mark Chief Erin Schaible’s retirement and to meet Acting Chief Hinesley. The reception will be held from 1-3 p.m. on Jan. 3, 2025, in the training room at the city police station, 3730 Blenheim Blvd. Please take this opportunity to thank Chief Schaible for her service and wish her well in retirement — and to meet, or renew your acquaintance with, Acting Chief Hinesley.