MDTA POLICE MADE 895 DUI ARRESTS MORE THAN 17,000 COMMERCIA VEHICLE INSPECTIONS ANSWERED 236,160 DISPATCH SERVICE CENTER CALLS
Laura Vandervort is a self-proclaimed crime junkie. When she’s not busy supporting the Maryland Transportation Authority’s (MDTA) Drive Ez MD Customer Service Centers, you can likely find her watching the latest episode of “Chica- go P.D.” That’s why a flyer for the MDTA Police Community Partnerships Academy caught her eye. “I didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “But I saw the flyer and thought, ‘Wow, this sounds interesting!’ How often do you get insight behind the scenes?” Vandervort joined fellow employees and community members at MDTA Police Headquarters for this eight-week program that gave participants a closer look at the police department pro- viding law enforcement services at toll facilities, BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and the Port of Baltimore. The most recent session began in early May and concluded in late June. “We don’t hold back,” said Police Chief Colonel Joseph F. Scott. “We do everything we can to make this an exciting and engag- ing experience so participants have fun and walk away with a better understanding of what our officers do.” The program incorporates a variety of teaching methods and guest instructors from across the police department, including hands-on experiences whenever possible. Students donned a headset and tried to keep up with radio traffic at the Police Met- ro Dispatch Center, participated in a tour of the airfield at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and completed virtual reality training exercises at the Police Training Academy.
experience, the class responded to mock calls for service and conducted mock traffic stops. But for Vandervort the scenarios, flashy equipment and case stories weren’t the best part. “You could tell that every officer and instructor wanted to be there, and that made it great,” she said. “The coordination, hard work and dedication they put into the academy to ensure students had a great experi- ence and were engaged were remarkable.” Organizers are already planning the next session of the Police Community Partnerships Academy, with a schedule to be de- termined soon. If you’re interested in learning more about the program, contact MDTA Police Lieutenant Brady McCormick at bmccormick@mdta.state.md.us for more information. n Pride n Service The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Police pro- vide Safety, Security and Service in partnership with the community to all who use and work on facilities and other vital transportation assets located throughout Maryland. Core Values: n Dedication n Integrity n Mindfulness n Pride n Service MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY POLICE The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Police is nationally accredited and is the eighth largest law enforcement agency in the State of Maryland with more than 500 sworn and civilian professionals. The Po- lice are responsible for law enforcement at the bridge and tunnel thruways, highways, the Baltimore Washing- ton International/Thurgood Marshall Airport and the Port of Baltimore. MISSION STATEMENT:
MDTA Police K-9 Unit.
Specialized Police units like the Crisis Negotiation Team, the Special Response Team, the Criminal Investigations Unit and the K-9 Unit all shared their unique equipment and experi- ences. Investigators from the Police Collision Reconstruction Unit explained the complicated steps of a fatal crash investi- gation and walked the class through real cases. In the final class before graduation, participants put on a duty belt with training equipment and completed realistic scenarios in a controlled environment. With officers acting as role players and coaches guiding students throughout the
MARYLAND TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 2025 ANNUAL REPORT 21
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