Alexandria Women Raise a Glass to Cops at Chicks & Cocktails Fundraiser

“I saw this Chicks and Cops on my schedule, and I was like, this sounds a little dangerous. One man in the midst of all these women,” Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire quipped.

Alexandria’s top cop was speaking to about 60 women who had come together at the Del Ray home of prominent Alexandria attorney Cathy Puskar last night (Thursday September 17). They were there for Chicks & Cocktails for COPS, an annual fundraiser to benefit the Alexandria Police Foundation. The women also support programs that build and strengthen police-community partnerships.

Turning serious, McGuire thanked the women of Alexandria for their commitment. “Just know that what you do matters. Supporting the Police Department matters. They don’t always hear it. You welcomed me from day one. But it’s about the cops and the men and women of our department who do the work to keep the streets safe.”

The event was hosted by Cathy Puskar, Charlotte Hall, Pat Miller, and Deborah Johnson. Puskar exclaimed to the assembled guests, “Women rule this city!”

Also spotted in the crowd were Stephanie Landrum, president and CEO of the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership (AEDP); Mary Lee Anderson, Senior Services of Alexandria executive director; Morgan Babcock, executive director of Carlyle Council; Melissa Riddy, formerly of Inova, now founder of Riddy Solutions; and Margaret Ticer Janowsky, owner of Del Ray Cafe. Stella, an eight-year-old K9 German shepherd, clung tightly to his handler, K9 Officer Steve Escobar.

Speaking to Zebra, co-host Charlotte Hall talked about the overriding theme of the evening.

“The Police Department is a very special group of men and women. Their goal is to keep us safe, and we owe them a lot of respect. We owe them a big thank you. They’re out there day in and day out, working to protect us.”

Hall noted that the organization draws women from a crisscross of city neighborhoods.

“They come from the West End, they come from Del Rey, they come from Carlisle, they come from Eisenhower Ave. They come from Old Town. And you know, it’s not just one sector. It’s not just residents. It’s businesses, it’s our visitors.”

Hall is serving her sixth year on the board. She reflected on the cohesiveness of the city she calls home. “Alexandria is such a special community. We’re a small, close-knit community and we work together. You think about COVID and how we all survived COVID together.”

Hall told Zebra they are still tallying up proceeds from the event. She expects the final take to be close to $10,000.

Guests nibbled on shrimp, crab balls, deviled eggs, and chicken salad sandwiches artfully arranged on platters along the dining room table.

In the kitchen, a long island was adorned with decadent pastries. All food was donated by local restaurants and caterers, all women-owned and operated businesses.

Before running off to yet another appearance that evening, Chief McGuire paused to talk to Zebra. “Being the only man here, I feel very welcome and supported. I know they love our officers. That’s why they’re here today.”

The chief continued, “I think it’s so important that we build relationships with everyone in the community. Most importantly, to see the strength of women in Alexandria. To witness the unification of women, women caring about our Police Department, women creating great strong relationships within Alexandria.”

McGuire noted that Alexandria is a model for hiring women in government and law enforcement.

Alexandria is a very diverse city,” McGuire told Zebra. “When you look at our City Council, we have equal representation, majority representation of women. When you look at our Police Department, we’re above the national average when it comes to women’s representation and policing. This is just representative of the respect for all persons in our community.”