Harford County police agencies have signed a mutual aid agreement giving greater traffic enforcement authority to municipal officers outside of their own jurisdictions.
The new agreement stems from a 2004 incident when an off-duty Aberdeen police officer pulled over an off-duty state trooper who had allegedly been drinking.
“The officer was restricted from taking action ? because she was out of her jurisdiction,” said Harford County Sheriff?s Office spokesman Robert Thomas.
Harford County State?s Attorney Joseph I. Cassilly said Monday that the charges against the trooper were dropped because the stop was not legal. Under the terms of the new compact, if the same situation were to happen again, the trooper would be prosecuted, he said.
Under the conditions of the agreement ? enacted by Aberdeen Police Chief Randy Rudy, Bel Air Police Chief Leo Matrangola, Havre de Grace Police Chief Teresa Walter and Harford Sheriff R. Thomas Golding ? municipal officers who are outside of their jurisdictions, on or off duty, and driving their patrol car may take necessary actions to stop a serious traffic offense, defined as a “DUI, reckless driving, drag racing or similar motor vehicle offenses that put the public at risk.”
“Years ago, it wasn?t a problem because all of the [Harford County] municipal officers were deputized,” said Det. Sgt. Steve Smith, of the Aberdeen Police Department. Smith said the days of deputized municipal officers ended years ago after the practice was found to be in violation of state regulations.
The trooper stopped for erratic driving was assigned to the JFK Barrack in Perryville at the time and was “seriously disciplined” as a result of an internal investigation, said Sgt. Thornnie Rouse, of the Maryland State Police. He still works as a trooper, Rouse said.
