Montgomery County police charged 147 people with driving under the influence during the first six weeks of their annual holiday alcohol task force initiative.
Montgomery County police charged 147 people with driving under the influence during the first six weeks of their annual holiday alcohol task force initiative.
According to data that runs from Thanksgiving through Dec. 27, members of the task force conducted 1,300 traffic stops. From Dec. 24-27 alone, officers conducted 253 traffic stops and 24 people were arrested on charges of driving under the influence, according to Montgomery County Assistant Police Chief David McBain.
During a weekly briefing from the Office of Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, McBain said the task force is conducted in cooperation with Maryland State Police, the Maryland Transportation Authority, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Rockville and Gaithersburg’s police departments, as well as the Maryland Park Police.
McBain said the effort to improve road safety for all users won’t end when the task force wraps up its work in the second week of January. In February, more officers will be deployed on Super Bowl Sunday.
“And the message from Vision Zero and from the police department is: Fans don’t let other fans drive drunk,” he said.
Vision Zero is a strategy used by police departments and transportation agencies across the region aimed at reducing injuries and deaths on the roads.
In March, McBain said the department will put added emphasis on pedestrian and cyclist safety. Throughout the coming year, he said, the department will focus on five safety areas.
“And that’s going to be DUI, pedestrian safety, distracted driving, aggressive driving and seat belt safety,” McBain said.
Like many other area police departments, Montgomery County has a need for more police officers, and it hopes to lure in recruits and keep its veterans with discounted college education.
Like many other area police departments, Montgomery County has a need for more police officers, and it hopes to lure in recruits and keep its veterans with discounted college education.
The county’s police department has partnered with the University of Maryland Global Campus to offer officers and their immediate family members savings of up to $60,000 on graduate or undergraduate programs.
“This is about investing in people — the men and women who serve here, their families who support them. This partnership reflects our commitment to investing in the future of not only this department, but the future of our communities that we serve,” Police Chief Marc Yamada said.
With training academy classes under their belt and in-the-field training, some officers will be able to transfer all of that into 60 college credit hours at the start of their coursework. Military service, certification and some other vocational education could add on another 30 credit hours, leaving officers only 30 credits shy of a bachelor’s degree.
The program will offer both UMGC’s fully online degree programs and in-person classes.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said this partnership solves a “college problem” for the police department.
“It gets people into our program and through these classes, which will make better police officers, and it does it in the way that anybody who wants to be a police officer can do it without trying to think, ‘How long do I have to delay my career, and how hard is it going to be to go to school to get there?’” Elrich said.
Rand Hansen, associate dean for the School of Integrative and Professional Studies at UMGC, said this announcement of the partnership is only the beginning.
“We are committed not only to staying together and providing meaningful, high-quality learning experiences, but also to expand our partnership and explore new opportunities for collaboration with both the police academy and the department in the years ahead,” he said.
Capt. David Reed heads the Montgomery County Public Safety Training Academy and helped make the partnership a reality.
“I’m excited for the opportunities it creates in our recruiting and for the rank and file that serve Montgomery County,” Reed said.
Reed said he believes offering this will “change the game” when it comes to recruiting new officers as the department tries to fill about 180 vacancies.
Yamada also said he believes the program will be pivotal in keeping current officers with the department.
“You’re talking about somebody who was not able to, say, obtain the rank of sergeant, now might be able to. For somebody who wants to get a graduate’s degree, all these things play into the ability for us to retain officers who are already here,” Yamada said.
Within hours of offering the partnership, the department received 50 applications from officers, professional staff and family members of those individuals to whom the program is available.
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The Montgomery County police sergeant who was struck by a reckless driver in October 2023, leading to the amputation of both his legs, is eying a return to police work in the next couple months.
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Montgomery Co. officer who lost both legs hopes to make a difference in the department
The Montgomery County police sergeant who was struck by a reckless driver last year, leading to the amputation of both his legs, is eyeing a return to the police force in the next couple of months.
On the morning of Oct. 18, 2023, Patrick Kepp was trying to stop 19-year-old Raphael Mayorga, of Frederick, Maryland, who was suspected of driving drunk and trying to “provoke” officers into a chase on Interstate 270. Kepp was deploying “stop sticks” to deflate the teen’s tires when police say Mayorga intentionally struck him.
Now, eight months and 10 surgeries later, Kepp, 37, is nearly ready to rejoin the force, and make college football history as well.
On top of his job at the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD), Kepp works as a line judge in Division 1 college football. He’s on track to return for his first game in the fall for either the Coastal Athletic Association, Ivy League or Patriot League Conference, and would become the first official with prosthetic legs to officiate a Division 1 game.
Kepp credits the personnel at Baltimore’s Shock Trauma Center and rehab staff at Walter Reed Naval Medical in Bethesda with saving his life, and giving him the chance to work again — something he’s been striving for since the October crash.
“Just after the incident, I would sit with Pat in the hospital and all he spoke about was getting back to work and how he was making it back to the football field,” said Lt. Brendon Johnston with MCPD, who also officiates college football.
Kepp left Shock Trauma in December for a long-term rehab program at Walter Reed. There, Kepp’s weekday routine includes weight and motion therapy, along with various swimming exercises.
“I’m involved with a special group of people who’ve experienced similar injuries and we feed off of each other during our rehab sessions,” Kepp told WTOP.
Patrick Kepp is in long term physical rehabilitation after having both legs amputated.
(Courtesy Patrick Kepp)
Courtesy Patrick Kepp
Patrick Kepp has been working hard to learn to use prosthetics and is seen here working on his rehabilitation.
(Courtesy Patrick Kepp)
Courtesy Patrick Kepp
Patrick Kepp exercises, working on his physical rehabilitation after he had both legs amputated after a crash in October 2023.
(Courtesy Patrick Kepp)
Courtesy Patrick Kepp
Kepp is also on track to return for his first game in the fall and would become the first official with prosthetic legs to officiate a Division 1 game.
(Courtesy Patrick Kepp)
Courtesy Patrick Kepp
Patrick Kepp also works as a line judge in Division 1 college football. He is seen in the background of this football game.
(Courtesy Patrick Kepp)
Courtesy Patrick Kepp
Headshot for Sergeant Patrick Kepp, who had both legs amputated after a crash in October 2023.
(Courtesy Patrick Kepp)
Courtesy Patrick Kepp
At the end of the day, he returns back to his Walter Reed on-base residence, where he’ll cook and do additional private workouts. On the weekends, Kepp spends his time at his Frederick County home and visits with his parents while closely following the Baltimore Orioles and Ravens.
While some may not clearly remember the moments directly following a traumatic injury, Kepp said he can still recall being taken out of his vehicle surrounded by a pool of blood. He thought to himself that he’s never flown in a medevac helicopter.
Many didn’t think Kepp would survive.
“I knew things were bad when I was flying to Shock Trauma in Baltimore, but I just kept focusing on the fact I was still alive,” he said.
However, dealing with the reality of losing both legs will be a lifelong battle.
“Losing one leg is bad enough, but losing both legs has been a very difficult things to grasp,” he said.
While he doesn’t say he has three jobs, he started to play a role off the field and outside his typical duties as a police officer — inspiring others.
“I’ve met with potential police recruits and people interested in law enforcement. But most off all, it’s great to talk with people who are sometimes down in life and I’m able to bring a positive outlook for them and help them turn things around, like I’m trying to do with myself.”
Kepp’s return to MCPD will be one of the most anticipated dates on his calendar, along with taking a step on the field for his first officiating assignment of the upcoming college football season.
However, Kepp said, “like my law enforcement job, I work at a pretty high level in Division 1 football and I’m not going to go out there if I’m not ready.”
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Dozens of Montgomery County police officers were honored for lifesaving and heroic acts, among them a group that raced to help a fellow officer as they attempted to stop a speeding driver in October.
Dozens of Montgomery County, Maryland, police officers were honored Thursday for their lifesaving and heroic acts; among them was a group that raced to help a fellow officer as they attempted to stop a speeding driver in October.
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Montgomery Co. police police sergeant who lost legs honors officers who helped save his life
Kepp, who lost both legs as a result of the crash and walks with the aid of a cane, stood on stage, giving hugs to each officer as their actions at the scene of the crash were detailed by Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones.
“I’m so grateful to be standing and be walking in here and be able to, you know, be up there on stage with them for all that they did for me,” Kepp said.
“They acted without hesitation and without fail and obviously saved my life.”
After the ceremony at Montgomery County Police Headquarters, Martinez told reporters while he appreciated the honor, his actions that night were simply a reflection of the training he’s gone through as an officer.
“Why we all signed up is to do the best we can to help out the citizens of Montgomery County and anyone that comes through it,” Martinez said.
During a ceremony at Montgomery County Police Headquarters, officers Matthew Duerr, Julian Martinez, Nicole Seymour, Diane Burkes and Andre Smith were were honored for their actions after Sgt. Patrick Kepp was hit by the driver on Interstate 270. (WTOP/Kate Ryan)
Seeing Kepp in uniform and walking is part of a greater recovery, Martinez said.
“I know in my heart that he’s going to do whatever he can to get back on the road and I have no doubts that he’ll get there,” Martinez said.
And that’s exactly Kepp’s plan. He’s still fully engaged in his recovery, he said, but eventually he’ll be back on patrol.
“Talking to my doctors and everything, everyone sees that there’s no reason that I won’t be back at work full time, doing exactly what I was doing,” Kepp said. “I’ll be back on the road, locking up impaired drivers” and trying, he said, to make the roads safe for everyone.
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A Germantown man was arrested Monday and charged with sexually abusing minors at the Montgomery County church where he taught, according to police.
A Germantown, Maryland, man was arrested Monday and charged with sexually abusing minors at the Montgomery County church where he taught, according to police.
Ervin Jeovany Alfaro Lopez, now 33, is accused of sexually abusing at least four children between the ages of 6 and 12 between 2016 and 2018. Montgomery County police said they’re concerned there may be more victims that have not contacted them.
Detective started looking into Alfaro Lopez in May, after someone reported being sexually abused by a teacher at a Derwood church in the 15700 block of Crabbs Branch Way. After the first complaint, police said three others came forward and reported abuse by Alfaro Lopez at the same church.
Alfaro Lopez is charged with multiple offenses, including sexual abuse of a minor, second-degree sex offense and third-degree sex offense. He’s being held without bond at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit.
Police said anyone who was abused by Alfaro Lopez should call the Special Victims Investigations Division office at 240-773-5400.
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