Montgomery County Police Department

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Montgomery County Department of Police
Common name Montgomery County Police Department
Abbreviation MCPD
220x140px
Patch of the Montgomery County Police Department
Coat of arms of Montgomery County, Maryland.svg
Coat of arms of Montgomery County
220x140px
Badge of the Montgomery County Police Department
Flag of Montgomery County, Maryland.svg
Motto "We begin with pride, and end with excellence!"[1]
Agency overview
Formed July, 1922[2][3]
Legal personality Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction* County of Montgomery in the state of Maryland, U.S.
Legal jurisdiction Montgomery County, Maryland
General nature
Operational structure
Headquarters Montgomery County Public Safety Headquarters, 100 Edison Park Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland, 20878
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Agency executive J. Thomas Manger, Chief of Police
Website
www.myMCPnews.com
Footnotes
* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), officially the Montgomery County Department of Police (MCP), is a nationally-accredited agency and the primary law enforcement agency of Montgomery County, Maryland, providing the full spectrum of police services to the entire county.

Established in July 1922, the MCPD is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland, and in addition to its primary duties, it also provides aid and assistance to other police departments including the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, and in neighboring jurisdictions such as the District of Columbia, Howard County, Maryland, Baltimore City, and Prince George's County, Maryland as requested by authority.[2][3][4]

History

File:Patch of the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department (1940s).png
A former patch of the Montgomery County Police Department, used in the 1940s and 1950s.[5]
MCPD policemen at Silver Spring in 1952.[5]
An MCPD car at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in 1968.
File:Patch of the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department (Former).png
A former patch of the Montgomery County Police Department, used in the 1960s and 1970s.[6]
An MCPD policeman and firemen rescue a person during flooding in 1975.
Two MCPD officers provide security at the annual "Battle for the Kings Trophy" football game in September 2008.
An MCPD Dodge Charger police car in June 2009.
An MCPD policeman stands guard outside Northwest High School in Germantown, Maryland due to a bomb threat in May 2014.

1922-1948: Founding and expansion

The MCPD was established in early July 1922, absorbing some responsibilities from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) through Chapter 259 of the Acts of 1922. At the time, the department was designated to consist of three to six officers that were appointed to two-year terms by the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, with one officer designated as the chief. In 1927, the department was enlarged to twenty officers by Chapter 299 of the Acts of 1927. Over the course of several decades, the MCPD would eventually grow to over a thousand officers.[2][3]

From 1922 until 1935, the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners designated one police officer from within the MCPD's ranks to serve as its chief. In 1935, through Chapter 9 of the Acts of 1935, the regulations were changed so that the chief could be appointed from any source, at the discretion of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. In 1948, when Montgomery County transitioned to a charter government, the responsibilities of appointing chiefs for the MCPD was transferred to the Montgomery County Executive.[2][3]

1991-1999: Mehrling and the NAACP

On September 24, 1991, Clarence Edwards became the chief of the MCPD, becoming the department's first African American chief as well as the first African American chief of a Maryland county police department. However, in December 1994, Edwards was relieved of his position by Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan, who had taken office that same month, a move which angered the local chapter of the NAACP. Edwards was succeeded by interim MCPD chief Carol A. Mehrling, who joined the MCPD on March 29, 1971. On February 2, 1995, Mehrling was chosen by Duncan to be the MCPD's fourteenth chief, becoming the department's first female chief. The MCPD was, at the time, the second-largest police department in the United States to be headed by a woman.[7][8]

On February 17, 1997, the local Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) body voted overwhelmingly in passing a resolution of no confidence in Mehrling's abilities as chief, claiming that she was not doing enough to defend MCPD officers against accusations of misconduct and abuse by the NAACP. As a result of these allegations, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) launched an investigation into the operations of the MCPD. On November 17, 1998, Mehrling announced that she would retire from the MCPD and did so on February 3, 1999, with Thomas Evans becoming the acting chief. Throughout much of the 1990s, the MCPD faced numerous allegations of abuse, excessive force, and misconduct, including fatal officer-involved shootings in Wheaton and Silver Spring in April 1999 and March 1999, respectively.[2][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

1999-2003: Moose and the Beltway sniper attacks

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See also: Beltway sniper attacks and Charles Moose

On August 2, 1999, Charles A. Moose became the fifteenth MCPD chief, during a time when the MCPD was nearing the end of a three-year-long U.S. Department of Justice investigation into allegations of misconduct and abuse.

On January 14, 2000, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed between the U.S. Department of Justice and the MCPD regarding abuses and misconduct committed by the latter. The agreement detailed how the MCPD was to address and correct the misconduct and abuses committed by its officers.[18]

On March 12, 2002, John A. King, on Moose's recommendation, was unanimously approved as the MCPD's assistant chief by the county council, after Alan G. Rodbell retired on December 23, 2001 to fill a law enforcement job position in Arizonan city of Scottsdale.[19]

In October 2002, several of the Beltway sniper attacks occurred in Montgomery County. Moose and the MCPD played a major role in the ensuing investigation. In June 2003, Moose resigned amid controversy over a book he helped author alongside Charles Fleming, that detailed Moose's experiences during the Beltway sniper attacks. The county government objected in stating that the MCPD chief was not allowed to profit privately from official duties; the book itself was released on September 15, 2003.[20][21]

2003-2004: O'Toole and the search for a new chief

After resigning as the MCPD's chief in June 2003, Moose was succeeded by William C. "Bill" O'Toole, who served as the MCPD's acting chief until a new chief could be found.[22][23][24][25]

2004-present: Manger and a new headquarters

On January 30, 2004, J. Thomas Manger, formerly of the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD), became the sixteenth MCPD chief.[26][27][28][29]

On October 5, 2007, ten MCPD officers were charged in a "double-dipping" probe. The accused officers were alleged to have improperly billed Grady Management, a Silver Spring real estate firm, for more than 8,900 hours for which they also were compensated by the police. The accused improperly earned more than $200,000.[30]

From the 1940s until 2008, the MCPD wore khaki-colored uniforms.[5] In 2008, the MCPD switched to black-colored uniforms. These are usually worn with a ballistic vest on top of the uniform's shirt, with the word "POLICE" embroidered onto the back. However, formal uniforms are still khaki and olive-colored.

Until 2012, the MCPD was headquartered at 2350 Research Boulevard in the county seat of Rockville. In 2012, the MCPD moved its headquarters from Rockville, where it had been headquartered for forty years, to the Montgomery County Public Safety Headquarters, located at 100 Edison Park Drive in Gaithersburg, Maryland, located around four miles from the former MCPD headquarters. The process of transferring the MCPD's headquarters to its new location took around two years at a cost of 108.5 million dollars. The MCPD shares the building with other county agencies, such as the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) and Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security. The MCPD's 1st District station was also consolidated into this new headquarters. The building which houses the headquarters, located near Lake Placid, was built in the 1960s and was originally used by the National Geographic Society, and later by General Electric (GE). The building was leased to the county government before a purchase date of 2014 was finalized.[31][32][33]

On the evening of January 30, 2014, an MCPD officer shot and killed his son at their home in Gaithersburg as the latter was stabbing the officer's wife, who later died.[34][35]

2014: Interstate 270 closure

On the morning of March 11, 2014, personnel from the MCPD, Maryland State Police, Rockville City Police, and Prince George's County Police Department, acting on a report, set up a roadblock on across all twelve lanes of Interstate 270 (I-270) and walked car to car with weapons drawn. The incident brought hundreds of vehicles and thousands of motorists on the interstate to a standstill as dozens of police officers conducted vehicle-to-vehicle searches at gunpoint for bank robbers.[36][37]

Controversy

A controversy over the tactics used by the MCPD ensued, with reports of officers walking down I-270 between stopped cars with weapons drawn, telling people to get back in their vehicles, and demanding commuters pop their trunks without any explanation why. One woman was reportedly shouted at by police with weapons drawn after she'd opened her car door to throw up, having gotten motion sickness from sitting in her vehicle for an extended period of time. Chief Thomas Manger defended the MCPD's actions, stating that they were justified under exigent circumstances.[38] Don Troop, a man who witnessed the incident, told the Washington Post that a group of officers made its way to his car and other cars around him. "They were just walking along saying: 'Pop the trunk! Pop the trunk!'" Troop said he overheard a man in a truck next to him call out to another motorist: "The police are looking for bank robbers." A short time later, about nine officers approached his car — including state troopers, county police officers, and at least one plainclothes officer. Among the commands given to motorists by officers were: "stay in your car", "pop the trunk", "get your hands on the steering wheel", and "get you hands up where we can see them", according to Troop. Corporal Aaron Smith, a pilot flying a Prince George's County police helicopter dispatched to assist stated that he "saw that they were searching traffic and going vehicle to vehicle."[39] MCPD spokesman Captain Paul Starks described the incident as a "systematic check of trunks and rear hitches" of detained vehicles.[40]

2014: School bomb threats

In April 2014 and May 2014, the MCPD responded to several bomb threats called against public high schools in the county by a Canadian teenager from Ottawa, Canada.[41] In all three cases, the threats were determined to be baseless after the schools in question were evacuated and searched for any explosives, in which none were found.[42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51]

Organization

The MCPD is headquartered at the Public Safety Headquarters at 100 Edison Park Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland, near Lake Placid. It was formerly headquartered at 2350 Research Boulevard in the county seat of Rockville. The current chief of police is J. Thomas Manger, who has held the office since January 30, 2004. The MCPD is divided into four bureaus and the Office of the Chief:[52]

  • The Office of the Chief is responsible for the day-to-day activities of the MCPD. This section also contains Community Services, Internal Affairs, Legal and Labor, Media Services, and Stress Management.
  • The Field Services Bureau contains the general policing districts and the Special Operations Division.
    • 1st District, Rockville
    • 2nd District, Bethesda
    • 3rd District, Silver Spring
    • 4th District, Wheaton
    • 5th District, Germantown
    • 6th District, Montgomery Village
    • Special Operations Division (SOD), consisting of the K-9 Unit, Emergency Services Unit, Police Community Action Team, Special Events Response Team, and Tactical Unit.
  • The Investigative Services Bureau is responsible for providing specialized police services such as (but not limited to) the following: Criminal Investigations Division (CID), Auto Theft, Fraud, Family Crimes, Major Crimes, and Special Investigations Division.
  • The Management Services Bureau is a largely non-sworn, civilian support bureau. It contains Animal Control, Emergency Communications, Budget, Personnel, Training, and other support services.

List of chiefs

No. Chief Rank Life Tenure Notes
13 Clarence Edwards[8] Colonel[8] February 14, 1940 – present[8] September 24, 1991 – December 1994[8] First African American chief of the MCPD and a Maryland county police department. Former U.S. Park Police (USPP) officer for 21 years, joined the USPP in September 1963. Also served in the Maryland-National Capital Park Police.[8]
14 Carol A. Mehrling[2][7][13] Chief[2][7][13] 1949 – June 14, 2015[2][7][13] 1995 – February 3, 1999[2][7][13] First female chief of the MCPD, at the time the second-largest U.S. police department headed by a woman. Served as interim chief from 1994 to 1995. Joined the MCPD on March 29, 1971.[2][7][13]
Thomas Evans[13][14] Chief (acting)[13][14] February 1999 – August 2, 1999[13][14] Served as the acting chief after the retirement of Carol A. Mehrling on February 3, 1999.[13][14]
15
Charles Alexander Moose
 Charles Alexander Moose Chief 1953–present August 2, 1999 – June 2003 U.S. Air Force commissioned officer; led the MCPD during the Beltway sniper attacks of October 2002. Former chief of the Portland Bureau of Police.
William C. "Bill" O'Toole[22][23][24] Chief (acting)[22][23][24] June 2003 – January 30, 2004[22][23][24] Served as the acting chief following the resignation of Charles A. Moose in June 2003, also served as the MCPD's assistant chief. Retired on August 1, 2006.[22][23][24]
16[23] J. Thomas Manger[26][27][28][29] Chief[23][26][27][28][29] January 30, 2004 – present[23][26][27][28][29] Former Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) officer; served as the FCPD's acting chief before becoming its chief. Graduate of the FBI National Academy.[23][26][27][28][29]

Ranks

Rank Insignia Notes
Chief of police
Colonel Gold.png
 The rank insignia for the MCPD's chief is a gold-colored U.S. eagle, similar to that worn by colonels in the U.S. military.[53]
Lieutenant
US-O1 insignia.svg
 The rank insignia for an MCPD lieutenant is a single gold-colored bar, similar to that worn by second lieutenants in the U.S. military.[54]
Sergeant
Sergeant (yellow pin).png
 The rank insignia for an MCPD sergeant are three gold-colored chevrons. They are metallic pins and are worn on the shirt collar of uniforms.[55]
Corporal
Cplpin.png
 The rank insignia for an MCPD corporal are two gold-colored chevrons. They are embroidered onto black cloth rectangles and worn as epaulettes, as well as metallic pins and worn on the shirt collars of uniforms.[56]

Historical ranks

Rank Insignia Notes
Chief of police (2002)
2 Gold Stars.svg
 During the tenure of Chief Charles A. Moose, the MCPD chief's rank insignia consisted of two five-pointed yellow stars.

Fleet

The Montgomery County Police Department utilizes a fleet of second-generation Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors, Dodge Chargers, Chevrolet Impalas, Dodge Magnums, Harley-Davidson Police Edition motorcycles, and others.

In popular culture

  • The Montgomery County Police Department is featured in a chapter of the 1996 novel, Unintended Consequences.
  • The Montgomery County Police Department is briefly featured in the 2001 episode of The X-Files television show, "Essence".
  • The Montgomery County Police Department is featured prominently in the 2003 television film D.C. Sniper: 23 Days of Fear.
  • The Montgomery County Police Department is featured in the 2005 comedy film The Pacifier.[57]
  • The Montgomery County Police Department is featured in the 2010 comedy film Red.[58]
  • The Montgomery County Police Department is featured in an episode of the television show Homeland.

See also

References

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  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 23.4 23.5 23.6 23.7 23.8 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 27.3 27.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 28.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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Further reading

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External links

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