PGPD Honors Patrol Officers of the Month

PGPD patrol officers are out in our communities day and night, committed to protecting and serving the citizens of Prince George’s County.  They do remarkable work each day, which often goes unnoticed.  We’d like to introduce you to the Patrol Officers of the Month for October.

District I Police Officer of the Month

Police Officer Rion Robinson

On October 9, 2014, Police Officer Rion Robinson was conducting a premises check in the 1500 block of Madison Street after a recent string of stolen cars, thefts from cars and robberies. Officer Robinson spotted a car in a back parking lot of an apartment complex. When he approached to talk to the occupants, he saw an open bottle of alcohol and detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the car. The driver consented to a search which revealed a loaded handgun under the driver’s seat. The gun was reported stolen through Augusta County, Virginia. The driver and two passengers were arrested.

District II Police Officer of the Month

Police Officer Brian Whalen

On October 19, 2014, Police Officer Brian Whalen responded to Brown Station Road and Lords Landing Road in Upper Marlboro for a report of a suspicious man filling glass bottles with gasoline at a gas station. Once he arrived, Officer Whalen spotted the man and saw a glass bottle filled with gasoline inside of his car. Further investigation revealed the suspect was attempting to set fire to a house on Fenway Lane. He had already thrown several bottles onto the house. A resident had a protection order against the suspect. He was arrested.

District III Police Officer of the Month

Corporal Brian Butler

On October 21, 2014, Corporal Brian Butler was in the area of Southern Avenue and Branch Avenue searching for a carjacked car taken earlier in the day. He spotted a matching car, confirmed it was the car that had been carjacked, and tried to make a traffic stop. Instead of stopping, the suspects sped off and then bailed out of the car a short time later. Corporal Butler ran after them and provided a good lookout for the suspects. He then organized a perimeter and coordinated with Air 1 and a K9 team. One of the suspects was located and taken into custody. A handgun was also recovered. Further investigation revealed, the suspects had just committed an armed robbery in a neighboring jurisdiction.

District IV Police Officers of the Month

Police Officer Stephen Downey

Police Officer Matthew Leedy

On October 14, 2014, Police Officers Stephen Downey and Matthew Leedy were flagged down by a citizen in the 3800 block of Saint Barnabas Road in Temple Hills. The victim reported two suspects had just stolen items from her car. The officers canvassed the area and spotted one of the suspects. As the officers approached the car he was in, they smelled suspected marijuana coming from the car. A search revealed crack cocaine and marijuana as well as a handgun inside the car. A check revealed that the gun had been stolen from Orange County, Virginia. While interviewing the first suspect, the second suspect approached the officers. Both suspects were arrested.

District V Police Officers of the Month

Corporal Mark Mason

Police Officer Lyndon Thomas

On October 12, 2014, Corporal Mark Mason and Police Officer Lyndon Thomas were called to the 9800 block of Piscataway Road in Clinton for a carjacking. When they arrived, they immediately began looking for the car which they spotted a short time later. When the suspect saw our officers, he drove a short distance before bailing out of the car. He then ran into some nearby woods. With the assistance of additional patrol officers and the K9 Unit, the suspect was located and arrested.

District VI Police Officers of the Month

Police Officer First Class Rebecca Sprague

Police Officer James Martinez

 On October 12, 2014, Police Officer First Class Rebecca Sprague and Police Officer James Martinez were called to the 10200 block of Riggs Road in Adelphi for the report of a woman with a knife who was threatening suicide. By the time the officers had arrived, the woman had cut herself and was bleeding severely. She refused help from family and had left her home. When Police Officer First Class Sprague and Officer Martinez arrived, they immediately began searching for the woman. They found her nearby. Once the officers determined she was no longer armed, they applied pressure to the woman’s wounds to help control the bleeding until medical personnel arrived. The woman survived her injuries.