With Fairfax County students heading back to class Aug. 24, the police department that patrols McLean-area schools spent two days training alongside national experts on how to stop targeted violence before it starts.

The Fairfax County Police Department hosted more than 270 professionals from across the country at its 3rd Annual Threat Assessment and Management Symposium on Aug. 3-4. The event, organized by FCPD's Threats and Intelligence Division, focused on recognizing and mitigating individuals on a path toward violence.

Attendees heard directly from a survivor of the Sandy Hook school shooting and a law enforcement officer who survived an ambush attack, according to FCPD's Frederick Chambers, who posted about the event on LinkedIn the day it began.

"This vital training brought together subject matter experts to share lessons learned and strategic approaches for recognizing and mitigating individuals on a path toward violence," Chambers wrote Aug. 3.

The department announced the symposium publicly on Tuesday, Aug. 11, linking to a full recap on its news site.

Corporate sponsors Parsons Corporation, Capital One and Cellebrite helped fund the event through what Chambers described as public-private partnerships. Technology firms Epieos and Skopenow demonstrated tools used in modern threat assessment investigations.

Now in its third year, the symposium has grown into an established program within the department. The FCPD Facebook page described the gathering as a chance for professionals to share best practices, examine emerging trends and strengthen violence prevention efforts.

The symposium comes as FCPD and Fairfax County Public Schools prepare for the 2026-27 school year. The two agencies are developing a new School Resource Officer memorandum of understanding, as we reported Aug. 5.

FCPD has not announced a date for a fourth annual symposium. Residents who want to report potential threats can call the non-emergency line at 703-691-2131.