Retired MRPD Chief's Discussion

Friday, September 26th: 2900 block of Taylor Street: At about 1:30 pm officers responded for a forced door alarm. When they arrived they observed that the front door had been forced open. The residence was secured and a Greenbelt Police K-9 unit responded to search the residence. The K-9 search found no one inside. Additional investigation revealed that nothing had been stolen from the residence. 4000 block of 34th Street: At about 5:30 pm officers took a report of a theft from auto. Investigation revealed that person(s) unknown shattered the vehicle’s passenger side window and stole a GPS navigation system. 3300 block of Bunker Hill Road: At about 10:45 pm officers responded for the report of individuals loitering. One of the individuals was found to have an open warrant through the P.G. County Sheriff's Office. He was taken into custody without incident and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville. 33rd & Perry Streets: At about 11:30 pm officers on patrol obs

Wednesday September 24 : 4100 block of 29th Street: At about 9 am officers took a report of a vandalism to auto. Investigation revealed that person(s) unknown keyed or scratched the victim’s vehicle along the driver’s side sometime within the last three days. The owner/victim told the officers that he has been having on-going issue’s with his next door neighbor but does not know if the neighbor committed the vandalism. 3200 block of Rhode Island Avenue: At about 2 pm officers responded for the report of a misdemeanor theft. The victim told the officers that she placed her purse under the counter at her place of employment and left it unattended. She returned later to find that someone had stolen her wallet from inside her purse. The wallet contained cash and personal cards/documents. Other employees of the business were questioned about the theft, but no one admitted to the theft or seeing any suspects. It was also determined that persons other than store employees would have

34th Street & Newton Street: At about 4:30 pm officers received a call for an assault that had just occurred on a school bus. The officers spoke with the bus driver who told them that he was transporting students from Northwestern High School and when he left the school some of the students were being disorderly. He told them to sit down and remain in their seats. During the trip from Northwestern the students began throwing things. One of the students threw something that struck the driver in the head. He stopped the bus at his normal stop of 34th & Newton Streets. As a group of the students was getting off the bus they assaulted him. He sustained an injury above his eye. The Prince Georges County Police along with Northwestern’s principal arrived on the scene and will handle the investigation. 3300 block of Chillum Road: At about 9:00 pm the Prince George’s County Police responded to a call for a burglary in progress. MRPD officers saw the County officers responding to the

Monday September 22: 2700 block of Arundel Road: At about 2:15 pm officers on patrol observed subject in public area/view consuming an alcoholic beverage. The subject was issued a criminal citation for the offense and released without further incident. 3800 block of 34th Street: At about 2 pm officers responded for the report of several individuals consuming alcoholic beverages in a public place. When the officers arrived one of the subjects in question immediately tried to flee the area. The officers gave chase, and while pursuing this individual they saw him throw a plastic bag onto the ground. The officers were able to catch and detain the individual and recover the plastic bag he discarded. The officers discovered that the plastic bag contained 4 grams of crack cocaine. The individual was arrested, charged with possession of the CDS, and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville. 4500 block of Eastern Avenue: At about 6 pm officers on patrol observed subject in public

Thursday September 18: 3800 Rhode Island Avenue: At about 5:30 pm officers on patrol observed a female subject with an open container of an alcoholic beverage. She was issued a criminal citation for the violation and sent on her way. 3200 block of Rhode Island Avenue: At about 1 am officers observed a male subject consuming an alcoholic beverage in a public palace. The individual was issued a criminal citation for the violation and sent on his way. 3800 block of Rhode Island Avenue: At about 3 am officers stopped and interviewed a suspicious individual who was found to be in possession of CDS paraphernalia. She was issued a criminal citation for the violation and sent on her way 2700 block of Upshur Street: At about 12:45 pm officers took a report of a stolen tag. The victim reported that sometime early this morning person(s) unknown stole the rear tag off her vehicle (MD 6BJP94). 4100 block of 28th Street: At about 8 am officers took a report of a stolen vehicle. The vict

2900 block of Allison Street: At about 5:45 pm officers took a report of a vandalism to auto. The victim reported, and the officers observed, that person(s) unknown spray painted three sides of his Chevy Trail Blazer. No evidence as to the person(s) responsible could be found.

4600 block of 30th Street: At about 1:15 pm officers investigated a traffic collision involving a FedEx delivery truck. The driver of the truck failed to see an oncoming vehicle because he was reading directions and struck that vehicle. The FedEx driver was found at fault and charged accordingly. One occupant of the struck vehicle was transported by PG Fire/Rescue PGH for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. 3700 block of 35th Street: At about 12:30 pm officers took a report of a citizen robbery that occurred on September 13th around 8:30 pm. The victim told the officers that he was walking on foot and passed by several juvenile males (no further description). The next thing he knew, he woke up at PGH. The victim said that he was struck on the back of the head with an unknown object and lost consciousness. The victim stated that his cell phone, wallet and some mint coins were stolen. 3800 block of 35th Street: At about 4:15 pm officers on patrol observed two suspicious

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road: At about 7:30 pm officers on patrol were flagged down by female who told them she had been assaulted by her husband of several months. She said that an argument escalated into a physical confrontation over a cell phone charger. The woman exhibited no injuries and she required no medical treatment on scene. The officers were familiar with the couples’ prior history of domestic related matters. The woman was once again advised to seek charges against her husband through the Hyattsville District Court Commissioner.

MADD will be hosting a Court Monitoring training session for all interested volunteers on Monday, September 29th, 2008 at the State Highway Administration Office, 9300 Kenilworth Ave Greenbelt, MD 20770. The training will run from 9:30am – 12 noon. Breakfast will be served. The training will include all information needed to participate as an official MADD Court Monitor. Our program is operative in Baltimore,Montgomery, Prince Georges and Anne Arundel Counties and we will need committed volunteers to make this program work. Interested volunteers will need to be available on weekdays during normal court hours in order to participate. Volunteers will be trained on how to evaluate judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers and court staff for preparedness, understanding the law, treatment of victims and the manner in which the proceedings are held and you will also be given the appropriate materials. You must register by September 25th so that we may plan accordingly. To register or if you have

Friday September 12: 3300 block of Buchanan Street: At about 9:45 am an MRPD Parking Enforcement Officer observed an unregistered 2003 Ford Expedition parked in violation of City Code. An MVA check confirmed that the vehicle was not currently registered. The owner had been given prior notice of the violation and time to correct the matter. The owner failed to comply and the vehicle was cited and impounded. 3500 block of Rhode Island Avenue: At about 9:45 am officers responded for the report of a residential burglary in progress. The reporting person observed two individuals entering a vacant dwelling through a window. When the officers arrived they observed the open window and set up a perimeter to try and prevent the escape of anyone who might be inside. A short time later the officers saw two individuals (one male juvenile and one female juvenile) exit the dwelling through the rear porch door. The officers detained both juveniles without incident. The property owner/agent res

Tuesday September 9: 4100 block of 28th Street: At about 8 am officers took a report of a stolen auto. The victim parked his 1994 Honda Accord with Maryland tags 6DJN36 at his residence the previous evening. When he returned this morning he found that it had been stolen. A check of area for witnesses/evidence was negative. 4700 block of 31st Place: At about 6 pm officers responded for an assault. The victim (father) was being assaulted by his daughter with a knife. When the officers arrived they observed the daughter with a butcher knife being restrained by her father. The officers were able to disarm the daughter and take her into custody. The daughter was apparently having a mental breakdown for reasons that were unknown at time of incident. The father was not injured and did not want criminal charges placed against his daughter. He stated that his daughter needed medical attention. Based on his comments and the officers’ observations she was taken to Washington Adventist Hospital

Friday September 5: 3700 block of 35th Street: Code Enforcement officers impounded a white Mercury Mystique for violations of City Code. The owner of the vehicle had been previously notified of the violations and failed to comply. 3300 block Chillum Road: At about 10:30 am an MRPD officer was responding to a priority officer assistance call (see next synopsis). During his response the officer was involved in a motor vehicle crash. The driver of the at fault vehicle was charged with failure to yield the right of way to an authorized emergency vehicle and driving without a license. Neither the officer nor the driver of the at fault vehicle was injured. The police vehicle sustained serious undercarriage damage and had to be towed from the scene. 3100 Queens Chapel Road: At about 10:30 am officers responded for the report of a suspicious person. A store clerk told the officers that a female subject was inside the store talking to herself and taking items without paying for them. The off

3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue: At about 3 pm officers on patrol issued a criminal citation to one individual for possession of an open alcohol container in a public. 34th Street & Rhode Island Avenue: At about 11 pm officers responded for a citizen robbery. The victim told the officers that two black male individuals who appeared to be in their teens approached him, demanded money and began punching the victim until he fell to the ground. Once the victim was on the ground one of the individuals rifled through his pockets and stole a quantity of cash and his cell phone. The two individuals then fled the area in an unknown direction. A search of the area for witnesses and the individuals was negative. The victim sustained only minor injury during the robbery.

I reported the following information to the Mayor & Council at their regular business meeting on September 2nd. At the suggestion of Councilmember Tarlau, I am posting it here on my Blog in order to keep readers apprised of our efforts to solve the recent rash of burglaries. “ During the months of July and August we have seen a significant increase in the number of residential burglaries in our single family neighborhoods; and the number of vehicle thefts has also risen above those reported during the same period in 2007. Beginning on Monday August 25th the department implemented an “all hands on deck” operation in response to this recent rash of burglaries. Our officers have been working with officers from the Hyattsville Police Department, Takoma Park Police Department and detectives from PGPD to identify and arrest the persons responsible for these crimes. I am pleased to report that our efforts have resulted in the identification and arrest of two individuals who have been posi

4200 block of Russell Avenue: At about 9:30 am officers responded for a theft from auto. The victim told the officers that person(s) unknown stole the front license plate off her vehicle. The stolen plate is Maryland KSB863. The front tag was not taken during the theft. 3300 block of Rhode Island Avenue: At about 5 pm officers responded for an assault with a deadly weapon. When the officers arrived they observed a male victim suffering from severe head lacerations. The victim told the officers that he and his business partner got into a verbal argument. During the argument the suspect retrieved a 21” metal pipe and beat the victim with the pipe. The victim was able to tell the officers who to look for and officers located and arrested the individual at the police station a short time later. The individual was charged with 1st degree assault and other charges. He was delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville.

Friday August 29: 3700 block of Perry Street: At about 5:30 pm officers conducted a traffic stop on a 1996 GEO Prism. Investigation revealed that the driver of the vehicle was driving without a valid license. The driver was cited and his vehicle impounded. 4500 block of Allison Street (Brentwood): At about 4:30 pm officers on patrol located gang graffiti. The area was photographed and processed. Additional, similar graffiti was discovered in the 4400 block of 37th Street. Further investigation has led to the identification of at least one juvenile responsible for the graffiti. Officers are in the process of filing appropriate vandalism charges against this individual. Saturday August 30: 3200 block of Otis Street: At about 11:15 am officers responded along with fire department personnel for the report of an explosion. Investigation revealed that a resident set approximately six RAID bug bombs inside of his apartment. The six bug bombs caused disbursed a large amount of explosi