Lieutenant Nick Andariese was recently promoted to Captain and is now Chief of the Court Security Branch.
Captain Andariese was raised in Fairfax County, attended South Lakes High School in Reston and still lives in the county. He graduated from Christopher Newport University, majoring in political science with a minor in history. His interest at the time was working for a federal agency and focusing on international relations. With reduced military involvement in the Middle East, the job market in that field became more competitive, and he found it difficult to get a foot in the door. Thus, he thought about a career in law enforcement and applied with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office.
“I loved the six months of training at the Fairfax County Criminal Justice Academy and was fortunate to be selected as class president,” says Andariese. “I’ll never forget the experience and the friends I made during that time.”
The best experience as a deputy was being a member of the Sheriff’s Emergency Response Team, from 2013-2021. “Though I left the team for reasons of work-life balance, it was a challenge for me to leave.” Andariese and his wife, also a Sheriff’s deputy, have two pre-school aged children. “I look forward to being with them every day. There is always something new and exciting as they learn and grow so quickly.”
His favorite assignment was Training Coordinator at the Criminal Justice Academy. Under his leadership, the academy digitized the documentation and streamlined the field training program.
While at the academy, he also led the expansion of use of force and de-escalation training. “We implemented scenario-based training that went beyond the technical requirements in transitioning sworn staff to the new Taser 7. Deputies became comfortable and knowledgeable in making decisions on when to deploy the device to minimize the risk to an arrestee, bystanders and deputies. We increased training from 79 deputies to 375 in a three-month period. It was taxing but well worth it!”
Andariese is very proud of the agency’s community engagement activities. “Last year I was appointed to be the coordinator of Shop with a Sheriff. We spend a day interacting with and helping children who live in emergency shelters. It’s good for the children, and it’s a fun and rewarding experience for our staff.”
His advice to those considering a job with the Sheriff’s Office – “We have extraordinary benefits that provide a future for families. I am very thankful to be a part of this agency and Fairfax County.”
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