Each and every day, our patrol officers are fanned out across the county to protect the people of Prince George’s County. Too often their good work goes unnoticed. Here are the Patrol Officers of the Month for January 2015.
District I Patrol Officer of the Month
Police Officer Conor Crowley
On January 3, 2015, Police Officer Conor Crowley was on patrol in the area of Riggs Road and Ray Road when he stopped a car for a traffic violation. When he approached, he detected the odor of marijuana. During a search of the car, Officer Crowley recovered nearly 70 grams of marijuana as well as items that had been stolen from area businesses. An occupant of the car was arrested.
District II Patrol Officers of the Month
Police Officer David Freshley
Police Officer Christopher Smith
On January 29, 2015, while on patrol, Police Officers David Freshley and Christopher Smith spotted a man behaving in an erratic manor in the roadway in the 9000 block of Lanham Severn Road. As the officers approached, the man began to back away into oncoming traffic, endangering himself and drivers. Officers Freshley and Smith were ultimately able to escort the man to the median and out of harm’s way. While talking to the man, the officers noticed his glassy eyes and also detected the odor of PCP coming from him. Once backup officers arrived, the man was patted down for officer safety. A loaded gun was found in the small of the man’s back. The man was arrested. It was later learned the gun was stolen.
District III Patrol Officers of the Month
Police Officer Michael Washington
Police Officer Walter King
On January 15, 2015, Police Officers Michael Washington and Walter King were called to a business in the 3300 block of Donnell Drive in Forestville. Two suspects had tried to use a stolen credit card and then assaulted the store manager. The officers found and arrested the suspects nearby. The officers also recovered stolen credit cards, a replica handgun and hundreds of dollars’ worth of stolen items.
District IV Patrol Officer of the Month
Police Officer Dale Sollars
On January 9, 2015, Police Officer Dale Sollars walked on top of a frozen pond in Oxon Hill to try to rescue a seven-year-old boy who had fallen in. As he was walking, the ice gave way and Officer Sollars himself fell in. He quickly swam over to the child and brought him to shore, where officers began CPR. Once out of the water, Officer Sollars used his prior EMT training to take over chest compressions until paramedics arrived. The seven year old was rushed to a hospital where sadly he was pronounced dead.
District V Patrol Officer of the Month
Police Officer Lyndon Thomas
On January 23, 2015, Police Officer Lyndon Thomas was the first officer on the scene of a fight on Floral Park Road in Brandywine. Once he arrived, Officer Thomas observed a man with a metal pipe walking toward him. Backup officers were still a few minutes away. Officer Thomas took a position of cover behind his cruiser and began issuing commands to the man. The man dropped the pipe and was placed into custody. Officer Thomas then found a victim who had been assaulted by the suspect. He was seriously hurt. Once additional officers arrived, first aid was provided to the victim.
District VI Patrol Officers of the Month
Police Officer Tahicia McCaskill
Police Officer Oved Canas
On January 24, 2015, Police Officers Tahicia McCaskill and Oved Canas were called to Aitcheson Road in Beltsville for the report of a suicidal woman. The woman was bleeding profusely from a self-inflicted wound. Given the amount of blood loss, the officers knew immediate action was needed to save her life. The officers quickly grabbed their department-issued trauma kit from a cruiser and applied a tourniquet. They then talked with the woman to try to prevent her from going into shock. Arriving EMS units confirmed that the officers’ actions saved the woman’s life.
