Retired MRPD Chief's Discussion

April 27th : 3200 block of Rhode Island Avenue : At about 4:30 pm took a report of an assault. The victim told the officers that an unknown and undescribed individual cut him on the right hand. The victim was uncooperative with the officers and gave no further information. He was transported to Washington Adventist Hospital for treatment. 4200 block of 28th Street : At about 1 pm officers took a report of possible identity theft. The victim told the officers that person(s) unknown withdrew approximately $3,000 in US currency from his bank account. There are no current suspects and the victim is working with his bank to resolve the theft. 3800 block of 34th Street : At about 2 pm officers took a report of a vandalism to auto. The victim showed the officers where person(s) unknown broke the back window and slashed a tire of his 2000 Dodge Neon. No witnesses or suspects could be located. 36th and Perry Streets : At about 11 pm officers responded for a strong arm robbery on 36th Street nea

Friday April 24th : Nothing of interest to report. Saturday April 25th : 3500 block of Rhode Island Avenue : At about 10:10 am officers on patrol observed a red pickup truck parked in the roadway. When they approached the truck to check on the occupants they discovered that two of them were consuming open alcoholic beverages. Both individuals were issued criminal citations for the alcohol violation. 3300 block of Rhode Island Avenue : At about 10:30 am officers were conducting a traffic enforcement detail around the traffic circle when they observed the driver of a black Acura not wearing his seatbelt. When the officers approached the vehicle to speak with the driver they smelled a strong odor of burnt marijuana wafting from the vehicle. Upon further investigation the officers seized two bags of marijuana having a street value of $790.00. The driver was arrested, charged with several traffic and criminal violations and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville. 4500 block of 38th

Monday April 20th : Taylor Street at Russell Avenue : At about 12:10 pm officers responded for the report of a citizen armed robbery. The victim told the officers that as he was retrieving groceries from the trunk of his car he was approached by a man driving a blue sedan. The driver got out of the car and produced a silver handgun and demanded that the victim give him his money. The suspect went through the victim’s pants pockets, stole his wallet and then fled the area in the car towards Eastern Avenue. The suspect was described as a black male with medium skin tone, 5’6” tall, 160 lbs., about 19-21 years old. A search of the area for the suspect and his vehicle was negative. Later in the day a similarly described individual was also involved in robbing seven residents of Colmar Manor while they were walking in the 1200 block of Rhode Island Avenue in DC. 34th Street at Rhode Island Avenue : At about 11:15 pm officers investigated a motor vehicle collision. Their investigation reveal

Friday April 17th : 4100 block of 31st Street : At about 11:50 am officers took a report of an attempt auto theft. Their investigation revealed that sometime during the evening/morning hours person(s) unknown broke into the victim’s vehicle and attempted to steal it by breaking the ignition. The thieves could not get the vehicle started so they ransacked victim’s vehicle looking for valuables. The victim said that nothing was stolen from inside. No evidence or witnesses that could help identify those responsible could be found. 3200 block of Chillum Road : At about 9:20 pm officers took a report of a citizen robbery. The victim told the officers that he was walking in the area when he was attacked and robbed by a group of black male juveniles all approximately 17 years of age (NFD). The victim was robbed of his carry out food that he had just purchased. A check of the area was conducted with negative results. The victim suffered minor injuries and refused medical treatment. Saturday Ap

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road : At about 10:20 am officers stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. A check of the driver’s license and wanted status revealed that he had two open warrants through the Prince George's County Sheriffs Office for felony theft. He was issued the appropriate traffic citations, arrested on the open warrants and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville. Russell Avenue at Arundel Road : At about 2:30 pm officers stopped an individual for consuming an alcoholic beverage in a public place. As the officers approached the individual they saw him try to stash something in a wood pillar. The officers retrieved the ‘something’ and discovered it to be 2.8 grams of crack cocaine. The individual was arrested, charged and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville without incident. Cedar Lane Alley and Bunker Hill Road : At about 6 pm officers on patrol observed an individual filling an empty cigar wrapper with suspected marijuana. The officers stopped

April 14: 4500 block of 32 nd Street : At about 3 pm officers responded for an unattended death. The officers were met by fire department personnel who told them that relatives asked them to check the welfare of a family member since they had not had contact with him in a couple of days. When FD personnel arrived they discovered the individual deceased inside his residence. Based on previous contacts with the decedent officers and City officials were aware that he suffered from terminal cancer and his death was not unexpected 4200 block of 28 th Street : At about 11:30 pm officers responded for the report of an individual having a medical emergency. The reporting person told the officers that he returned home to discover his girlfriend unconscious and unresponsive due to ingesting excessive medication. Fire/rescue personnel transported her to Washington Adventist Hospital for emergency medical treatment. 3300 block of Buchanan Street : At about 11:14 pm officers responded for the

4100 block of 32nd Street : At about 5:35 pm officers took a report of a hit and run motor vehicle accident. The owner of a 1998 Ford truck told the officers that someone had hit his truck while it was parked and unoccupied outside his residence. He did not witness the accident and the officers were unable to locate other witnesses. 3200 block of Rhode Island Avenue : At about 11:20 pm officers responded for a report of a domestic dispute between a man and woman that allegedly occurred inside a parked Ford Mustang with DC tags. When the officers arrived they located the couple, neither of whom had any visible injuries nor wanted police intervention. They were sent on their way without further incident.

Friday April 10th : 33rd & Perry Streets : At about 10:15 am officers responded for the report of a man urinating in public. As the officers approached the area they saw the man described by the complainant throw four clear baggies of suspected crack cocaine into a grassy area. The officers detained the man and recovered the baggies. The contents were field tested and returned a positive result for cocaine. He was arrested, charged accordingly and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville. 2200 block of Varnum Street : At about 2:50 pm officers investigated an individual for possibly selling counterfeit CDs. During their investigation they learned that the individual had an open warrant through the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office for driving on a revoked license. He was arrested on the open warrant and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville. The counterfeit CD incident is still under investigation. 3300 block of Chillum Road : At about 4:50 pm officers stopped

3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue : At about 3 pm officers responded for the report of a minor property damage accident. The struck vehicle’s owner told the officers that an unidentified vehicle backed into her vehicle while it was legally parked. The officers’ investigation revealed some previous damage to the bumper but nothing fresh. No additional action was taken or necessary. April 9th (early morning) : 2300 block of Varnum Street (7-11 Store) : At about 1 am officers responded for a commercial armed robbery. The on duty clerk told the officers that two black males wearing masks walked into the store, one of whom displayed a handgun and struck the clerk with the gun demanding that he open the cash register. The clerk complied and both suspects stole a quantity of US Currency from the register along with numerous packs of cigarettes and condoms from display racks. Before fleeing the store the two suspects also stole a quantity of US Currency from the clerk and a clerk trainee who w

2400 block of Chillum Road : At about 4:50 pm officers stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. During the course of the stop the officers discovered that the vehicle’s registration was suspended for failure to comply with emissions inspection requirements. The driver was issued several State traffic citations and the vehicle was impounded. 33rd and Perry Streets : At about 6:35 pm officers on patrol observed what they believed to be a hand-to-hand drug transaction. When the officers approached the individuals involved they immediately fled on foot in different directions. The officers chased after the individual believed to be the seller. After a brief foot chase the officers were able to catch him and were forced to deploy a Taser weapon to get him under control and under arrest. He was charged with various narcotics violations including possession and distribution of a controlled dangerous substance (cocaine). He was treated and released at Prince George’s Hospital Center and deli

4600 block of 29th Street : At about 9 am one of our patrol officers was flagged down by a resident who told him that someone had smashed out the driver’s side window of his vehicle. He said that nothing was taken off of or from inside the car. No evidence as to the person(s) responsible for the vandalism could be found. 3249 Rhode Island Avenue : At about 6:45 pm MRPD Records personnel observed a fight in progress outside the police station and summoned uniformed officers who were already at the station for shift change. The officers separated and interviewed both participants, a male and a female, and determined that the fight resulted from a domestic dispute. The female half was very upset and refused to cooperate with the officers. She began to yell and swear at the officers but left the station before her behavior became disorderly. The male half left shortly thereafter.

The public safety agencies that have jurisdiction over areas surrounding the West Hyattsville Metro Station (Hyattsville Police Department, Mount Rainier Police Department, Maryland-National Capital Park Police and Metro Transit Police) along with the Office of County Council Member Will Campos invite you to join them for a public meeting to discuss personal safety at the West Hyattsville Metro Station. This meeting will be held on Thursday May 7, 2009 from 6:30 pm until 8 pm at Computer Utopia (3781 Hamilton Street, Hyattsville) which is across the street from the West Hyattsville Metro Station. The public safety agencies will provide an update on their ongoing efforts to work closely together to coordinate their patrols to better serve the commuters of this station. In addition, they will share tips on personal safety and most importantly, they want to listen to your suggestions on how they can better serve the patrons who use the West Hyattsville Metro Station. Refreshments will be

Friday April 3rd : 3300 block of Buchanan Street (parking lot) : At about 8:45 am officers responded for the report of a three-vehicle hit and run accident. The officers’ investigation determined that a vehicle traveling on Buchanan Street collided with a parked vehicle causing a chain reaction involving three additional parked vehicles. The striking vehicle was left abandoned at the scene. Contact with the owner was made and investigation and charges are pending. 3800 block of Rhode Island Avenue (Lowest Price gas station) : At about 9 pm officers responded to assist PGPD officers with a report of unknown trouble. PGPD officers had two individuals run from a vehicle when they attempted to stop and interview them. MRPD officers were able to catch and detain one of those individuals for PGPD. Officers recovered a handgun to the rear of the Lowest Price gas station where one of the suspects was last seen running from police. During the search for these individuals officers heard several

2700 block of Webster Street : At about 6 pm officers responded for the report of a possible residential burglary. The resident returned home to find both the top and bottom locks on her front door had been damaged. No evidence was found that the person(s) responsible for the lock damage actually got into the apartment and nothing was found missing from inside. The officers completed a property damage report and provided the resident with a case number for insurance purposes. 2400 block of Chillum Road : At about 10 pm officers stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. While interviewing the driver the officers discovered that he was in possession of a loaded handgun. Additional inquiries revealed that the gun was registered to him in the State of Alabama, but he has no concealed weapon permit from that state or in Maryland. He was arrested and charged with the illegal wear, carry or transport of a firearm and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville.

34th Street at Upshur Street : At about 11:55 am officers responded for the report of a suspicious vehicle. When the officers arrived they found the reported vehicle, a green Honda Civic with MD Tags 89164C/C. An NCIC check revealed that the Honda had been reported stolen to the Prince George's County Police Hyattsville District. The vehicle was operational with no noticeable damage. It was impounded for safekeeping and the owner was notified by mail of the recovery. 3300 block of Bunker Hill Road : At about 11:10 pm officers stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. A license and warrant check revealed that the driver had an open warrant through Prince George's County for failing to appear in court on a charge of driving on a suspended license. He was issued the appropriate traffic citations and arrested on the warrant. He was delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville without incident.

Nothing of significance to report.