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Rockville City Police Department

Coordinates: 39°4′53″N 77°9′6″W / 39.08139°N 77.15167°W / 39.08139; -77.15167
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rockville City Police Department
Current patch of the RCPD, in use since the late 1990s[1]
Current patch of the RCPD, in use since the late 1990s[1]
Badge of a Rockville City Police Department officer
Badge of a Rockville City Police Department officer
Common nameRockville Police Department
AbbreviationRCPD
Motto"If You See Something, Say Something!"[2]
Agency overview
Employees92[3]
Annual budget$12,624,380 (in 2017)[4]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionU.S.
Legal jurisdictionRockville, Maryland, U.S.
Operational structure
Headquarters2 West Montgomery Avenue, Rockville, Maryland, U.S.
Sworn officers77 (Approved) (as of 2024)[3]
Unsworn civilians33 (as of 2016)[3]
Agency executive
  • Victor Brito, Chief of Police
Facilities
CarsFord Police Interceptor Sedan, Dodge Charger, Chevy Impala
SUVsChevy Tahoe and Ford Police Interceptor Utility
Website
http://www.rockvillemd.gov/index.aspx?nid=248

The Rockville City Police Department (RCPD) is a U.S. law enforcement agency responsible for patrolling the city of Rockville, the third largest city in the U.S. state of Maryland. The RCPD patrols the city in cooperation with the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).[5][6][7] The agency serves a jurisdiction consisting of over 65,000 people[8] and has been a CALEA-accredited agency since 1994.[9][10] According to the RCPD, its mission is to protect and promote community safety, ensure the safe and orderly movement of traffic, and seek solutions to any problem that creates fear or threatens the quality of life in its jurisdiction.[11]

History

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Lieutenant Walter Kent Atwell of the RCPD in 1963
Vintage RCPD motorcycle unit, circa late 1960s/early 1970s
The entire RCPD in 1972
An RCPD captain and a USAF colonel in 1976
The RCPD's burglary prevention unit and an MCPD sergeant in 1976
An RCPD policeman in 1977
Former patch of the RCPD, used during the late 1970s[12] and early 1980s.[13]
Former RCPD patch; no longer in use.
An RCPD Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor in October 2009

In 1963, the RCPD began the use of radar to enforce speed limit compliance.[14]

In 1968, the RCPD hired its first black policeman, Richard "Gene" Eugene Dyson.[15] By 1972, the RCPD only had 9 policemen.[16]

In 1976, the RCPD and the Montgomery County P.D. formed a burglary prevention unit to help deter and investigate burglaries in the city.[17]

In June 1976, Dennis Dempsey became the RCPD's first captain.[18] Under Chief Charles Wall, a former New Jersey police chief, a Burglary Prevention Unit composed of RCPD patrol officers and Montgomery County Police detectives was created. Jared Stout, a former Fairfax County Police media director, was chief from 1979 through 1989. Under Chief Stout, relations were formalized to allow Rockville City officers to respond to 911 calls.

On March 26, 1994, the RPCD was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA).[19]

In 1996, the RCPD was awarded the Excellence in Community Policing Award by the National League of Cities.[20]

In 1998, the City of Rockville annexed 900 acres of land, increasing the RCPD's jurisdiction by the same.[21]

In 1999, the RCPD had 45 sworn policemen and 18 unsworn civilian employees.[22] In 2000, the RCPD had 45 sworn policemen and 18 unsworn civilian employees.[22] In 2001, the RCPD had 50 sworn policemen and 20 unsworn civilian employees.[23]

In 2011, the RCPD began the use of license plate-reading cameras on their cars.[24] In 2012, the RCPD transitioned to an electronic, computerized method of issuing traffic citations.[25]

In 2012, the RCPD moved to a new headquarters building.[26]

In June 2013, the RCPD had 57 sworn policemen on duty and 36 unsworn civilian employees for a total of 93 members.[27]

In 2016, the RCPD made 678 arrests, gave 95 drunk driving citations, issued 13,603 parking tickets, and gave 8,996 traffic warnings.[3]

For 2016, the RCPD's budget was 12,181,400$.[3] In 2017, the RCPD's policemen began wearing body cameras.[3]

Organization

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The current chief of police is Victor Brito, since mid-2018. The RCPD is divided into three bureaus:[28]

  • Field Services Bureau
  • Special Operations Bureau
  • Administrative Services Bureau

Falling under the Office of the Chief, the RCPD also has the following sections:[28]

  • Public relations
  • Professional standards (equivalent to an internal affairs in other agencies)
  • Inspection services
  • Police chaplain

The RCPD's headquarters building is located at 2 West Montgomery Avenue in Rockville, Maryland.[29]

List of chiefs

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No. Chief Rank Tenure Notes
Walter Kent Atwell Chief Retired in 1986
Terrance N. "Terry" Treschuk[20][3] Chief[20][3] March 20, 1989 – June 1, 2016[20][3] Former Granby Police Department officer in Connecticut before joining the RCPD.[20][3]
Robert J. "Bob" Rappoport[30][20][3] Chief (acting)[20][3][30] June 1, 2016 – June 18, 2018[20][3][30] Acting chief after the retirement of Chief T.N. Treschuk.[20][3] Became a policeman on March 1, 1988.[30]
Victor Brito[31][32][33] Chief[31][32][33] June 18, 2018 – present[31][32][34][33] Was the chief of the Hagerstown Police Department.[31][32][33]

Uniforms

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RCPD uniforms are dark blue with a light blue stripe running down the side of each pant leg.[20] RCPD officers who act as K-9 handlers wear dark blue BDUs.[35][36] The Maryland state coat of arms is worn on the collars, except for high ranking officers like the chief, who wear rank insignia there instead.[32][37]

Ranks

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Rank Insignia Notes
Chief[3] The RCPD is headed by a single chief; the chief's rank insignia is a golden eagle like the silver ones worn by colonels in the U.S. military.[38] The chief wears a golden badge as opposed to the silver badges of ordinary RCPD policemen.[4]
Major[3] The RCPD has three majors and they are responsible for each of the department's three bureaus. An RCPD major has duties similar to that RCPD captains had back in the 1970s.[18] RCPD majors wear a golden badge as opposed to the silver badges worn by ordinary RCPD policemen.[39]
Lieutenant
Sergeant[3]
Corporal[3][40]
Officer[3]

Historical ranks

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In the 1970s, the RCPD had a captain rank. However, it no longer does, having replaced the rank with major.[18]

Awards and decorations

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Award Ribbon Criterion
Distinguished Service Citation[3] Presented to an RCPD officer who has rendered a service wherein the officer's diligence, perseverance, or timely judgment in the performance of their duties resulted in the accomplishment of a difficult task, the protection of life or property, the prevention of a major crime, or the apprehension of an armed and dangerous criminal.[3]

Fleet

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The RCPD uses the sixth-generation Ford Taurus Police Interceptor Sedan and second-generation Dodge Charger[41] as its primary patrol cars;[42] the RCPD also uses the second-generation Ford Explorer Police Interceptor Utility.[43][44] The RCPD also uses motorcycles.[30]

Liveries

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The RCPD's patrol cars are painted grey with their liveries consisting of black and blue stripes on the sides with the words "ROCKVILLE POLICE" inscribed near the hood and on the front doors, with the Rockville city seal emblazoned on the rear doors. Inscribed on both front fenders are the words "If You SEE Something, SAY Something",[45] with the words "EMERGENCY 911" emblazoned on the rear quarter panels.[46]

Past liveries

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In the 1990s, the RCPD's patrol cars were for the most part white Chevrolet Luminas[47] and first-generation Ford Crown Victorias with a single blue stripe on the side running the entire length of the car from front to back. The Rockville city seal was emblazoned on both of the front doors, with the department's 10-digit phone number, "301-340-7300", inscribed on the front fenders, with the words "ROCKVILLE CITY POLICE" pasted on the rear quarter panels.[48]

In the early mid-2000s the RCPD used Chevrolet Blazers[49] and eighth-generation Chevrolet Impala 9C1s with a very similar livery design as the current one used presently in the 2010s, however the cars were painted white instead of grey and the motto on the front fenders were omitted.[48] In the mid-2000s, the RCPD used Chevrolet Tahoes[50] and Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors with the cars' paint schemes were changed from white to grey.[51][52][53]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rockville City Police Department (May 29, 2015). "In Memoriam". Rockville City Police Department. Facebook. Retired Rockville City Police Lieutenant Charles C. Bender, age 79, passed away May 27, 2015. Lt. Bender served the citizens of Rockville with distinction for 30 years from 1968-1998. He was one of the first motorcycle officers for the City. Our deepest condolences and prayers go out to his family.
  2. ^ City of Rockville (June 2013). "If You See Something Say Something". Rockville City Police Department. City of Rockville. Archived from the original on June 21, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Rockville City Police Department (2016). "Annual Report 2016". Rockville City Police Department. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  4. ^ a b City of Rockville (2017). "Adopted Operating Budget and Capital Improvements Program, Fiscal Year 2018". City of Rockville. 111 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland. p. 193. Retrieved August 26, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  5. ^ "About Rockville". City of Rockville. Archived from the original on 2008-07-04.
  6. ^ "Preface" (PDF). Rockville City Budget. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28.
  7. ^ "Public Safety" (PDF). Rockville City Budget. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-28.
  8. ^ "QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
  9. ^ Rockville City Police Department (August 8, 2013). "For the seventh straight time the Rockville City Police Department has received accreditation from the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA)". Rockville City Police Department. Facebook. Retrieved August 26, 2017. Rockville has maintained full accreditation status since 1994.
  10. ^ Rockville City Police Department (March 17, 2016). "Over the past four days, a team of accreditation assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies CALEA have been conducting their on-site assessment of the Rockville City Police Department". Rockville City Police Department. Facebook. Retrieved August 26, 2017. The Rockville City Police Department has been nationally accredited since 1994.
  11. ^ City of Rockville (2000). "Rockville City Police Department". City of Rockville. Archived from the original on 2000-12-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  12. ^ Rockville City Police Department (August 14, 2014). "Throwback Thursday". Rockville City Police Department. Facebook. Retrieved August 26, 2017. It's Throwback Thursday and in our efforts in continuing to keep Rockville citizens safe, today's TBT dates back to April 1977 with the debut of the electric engraving pens used to identify Rockville resident's property during Operation Identification Program. #RCPDTBT
  13. ^ ilfs-inc (2017). "Rockville Police (Maryland) Shoulder Patch". eBay. Retrieved August 26, 2017. new from the Early 1980s
  14. ^ "Throwback Thursday". Rockville City Police Department. Facebook. March 27, 2014. Retrieved August 26, 2017. It's Throwback Thursday and the Rockville City Police Department is taking you all the way back 51 years. This article appeared in the October 1963 issue of the City of Rockville Newsletter. The Mayor and Council were considering a request to increase the four-man police department to regular patrol shifts after 6:00 p.m. to enable the use of radar at night to curb speeding.
  15. ^ Rockville City Police Department (August 17, 2017). "The Rockville City Police Department wishes to extend our condolences to the family of Richard "Gene" Eugene Dyson, who passed away on August 9, 2017". Rockville City Police Department. Facebook. Retrieved August 26, 2017. He was the first African American police officer hired by the Rockville City Police Department in 1968. He also served as a volunteer for the Rockville Volunteer Fire Department. A viewing will be held for Officer Dyson on Friday, August 18 at the Snowden Funeral Home from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. followed by a funeral service at the Catholic Cemeteries of Washington in Silver Spring.
  16. ^ Rockville City Police Department (June 6, 2014). "Flashback Friday". Rockville City Police Department. Facebook. Retrieved August 26, 2017. It's Flashback Friday and we've decided to flashback 42-years to 1972 when the Rockville City Police Department was just a small 9-person operation. Fast forward to June 2014 where our Department has grown to a total of 92 sworn and civilian staff members with our police headquarters in two buildings at the corner of West Montgomery Avenue and North Washington St. #flashbackfriday #RCPD
  17. ^ "Rockville City Police Department". www.facebook.com.
  18. ^ a b c Rockville City Police Department (April 11, 2014). "Flashback Friday". Rockville City Police Department. Facebook. It's Flashback Friday and the Rockville City Police Department is taking you back 38 years ago to June 1976 when the Department welcomed aboard its very first Police Captain, Dennis Dempsey. The Department no longer has the rank of Captain, but rather three Majors who are each responsible for the oversight of their specific Bureau in the Department.
  19. ^ "RCPD ACCREDITATION". 24 May 2000. Archived from the original on 24 May 2000.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j City of Rockville (May 5, 2016). "Rockville Chief of Police Terry Treschuk Retires". City of Rockville. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  21. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Rockville City Police Department. 1999. Archived from the original on September 2, 1999.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  22. ^ a b "Frequently Asked Questions". Rockville City Police Department. Maryland: City of Rockville. 2000. Archived from the original on December 8, 2000.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  23. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Rockville City Police Department. Maryland: City of Rockville. 2001. Archived from the original on October 5, 2001. Retrieved October 5, 2001.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  24. ^ City of Rockville (18 July 2011). "License Plate Reader". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.
  25. ^ City of Rockville (14 February 2012). "On Patrol Roundup". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.
  26. ^ City of Rockville (2013). "Rockville City Police Department: A Commitment to Community". YouTube. Retrieved August 26, 2017.[dead YouTube link]
  27. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Rockville, Maryland: City of Rockville. 2013. Archived from the original on June 21, 2013. Retrieved June 21, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  28. ^ a b "Rockville Police Chief Official Website".
  29. ^ "Rockville, MD - Official Website". www.rockvillemd.gov.
  30. ^ a b c d e myMCMedia (June 3, 2016). "City of Rockville Appoints Acting Police Chief". myMCMedia. YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  31. ^ a b c d "Hagerstown: Brito leaving to be police chief in Rockville". Herald-Mail Media.
  32. ^ a b c d e "Police Chief - Rockville, MD - Official Website". www.rockvillemd.gov.
  33. ^ a b c d https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-brito-6aa90382 [self-published source]
  34. ^ City of Rockville Rockville 11 (June 2018). "Rockville Police Chief Victor Brito Swearing In Ceremony". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  35. ^ City of Rockville (10 January 2013). "The Rockville City Police Welcome Recon". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.
  36. ^ myMCMedia (11 January 2013). "Rockville's K-9 Police Unit". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.
  37. ^ "Dog Rescued from I-270 Rush Hour Mishap". Rockville, MD Patch. 3 December 2015.
  38. ^ Rockville City Police Department (June 9, 2016). "During yesterday's Rockville Public Safety Awards program now retired Chief of Police T.N. Treschuk was the proud recipient of the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award". Rockville City Police Department. Facebook. Retrieved August 26, 2017. We congratulate Chief on this well deserved honor and wish him all the best in his retirement.
  39. ^ City of Rockville (31 October 2012). "Right Turn on Red Cameras". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.
  40. ^ https://twitter.com/RockvilleCityPD/status/1771517161934111142 [bare URL]
  41. ^ "Rockville, Maryland police". 12 May 2014.
  42. ^ "Rockville City Police Department". Facebook. May 21, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  43. ^ "Rockville City Police Department". Facebook. May 21, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2016.
  44. ^ "Rockville Police, MD". Flickr. January 2017.
  45. ^ Andre Tuba (3 October 2013). "Obama Comes to Rockville, MD" – via YouTube.[dead YouTube link]
  46. ^ "Rockville City Police Department". Facebook. May 21, 2015.
  47. ^ "RockvillePD_11". Flickr. 22 August 2008.
  48. ^ a b "Montgomery County". policecararchives.org.
  49. ^ "RockvillePD_36". Flickr. 7 March 2004.
  50. ^ "094 National Police Week - Rockville (MD) Police". 12 May 2013.
  51. ^ "2009 10 10 - 0085 - Rockville - Maryland Ave at Middle La". 10 October 2009.
  52. ^ "RockvillePD_7". Flickr. 22 August 2008.
  53. ^ "RockvillePD_35". Flickr. 7 March 2004.
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39°4′53″N 77°9′6″W / 39.08139°N 77.15167°W / 39.08139; -77.15167