Dayhoff Soundtrack: 20071107 State Police Trooper and NCO of the Year Named

Friday, November 09, 2007

20071107 State Police Trooper and NCO of the Year Named

State Police Trooper and NCO of the Year Named

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 7, 2007

STATE POLICE TROOPER AND NCO OF THE YEAR NAMED - BOTH TROOPERS WORK IN CARROLL COUNTY

(Pikesville, MD) Outstanding police work above and beyond the call of duty was the order of the day as the awards for the Maryland State Police Trooper of the Year and Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year were announced at ceremonies held today.

Maryland State Police Superintendent Colonel Terrence B. Sheridan congratulated Trooper First Class Eric D. Workman, who won 2006 Trooper of the Year honors and Sergeant Robert J. Stryjewski, Jr., who was named the 2006 Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.

TFC Workman, who was chosen from among 32 Trooper of the Year nominees, is assigned to the Westminster Barracks Criminal Investigation Section. Sergeant Stryjewski supervises the Carroll County Drug Task Force and was one of 28 nominated non-commissioned officers.

“Both Sgt. Stryjewski and TFC Workman have distinguished themselves as dedicated public servants who are committed to serving and protecting the people of Maryland,” Colonel Sheridan said. “I am very proud of them and appreciate their willingness to lead by example. They have upheld the highest standards of the Maryland State Police and the law enforcement profession through their outstanding service.”

In early 2006, TFC Workman developed a robbery questionnaire that was used to capture vital suspect information and has become an important tool for use by State Police investigators. On his own initiative, TFC Workman applied for and obtained grants for video enhancing equipment. This equipment has enabled police in Carroll County to analyze and enhance surveillance photos and video more effectively.

TFC Workman initiated a warrant sweep in Carroll County that involved extensive investigation. His work resulted in 11 hard to find fugitives being apprehended.

In 2006, TFC Workman was assigned an investigation involving a farm which had a notorious reputation for criminal activity and allegations of cruelty to animals and environmental crimes. Efforts by other governmental agencies to deal with the situation had failed for the past 15 years.

TFC Workman coordinated federal, state, and local agencies in a sweeping investigation that resulted in criminal charges for stolen property and numerous charges for animal cruelty and environmental offenses.

His ability to track fugitives is outstanding. In the summer of 2006, a person arrested on a traffic stop escaped custody and a search ensued all that night and the next day, but to no avail. TFC Workman was on leave, but was called back in and within two hours, the suspect was in custody.

Then, after being shot and critically wounded during the service of an arrest warrant in December of 2006, TFC Workman refused to quit. He returned to full duty long before anyone thought he could or should. On his first morning back to duty, he was out serving warrants.

Sgt. Robert J. Stryjewski, Jr., is no stranger to outstanding performance awards. He was the 2001 Maryland State Police Trooper of the Year. He was promoted to corporal in 2002, made sergeant in 2005, and now holds the distinguished honor of the 2006 Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.

Sgt. Stryjewski led by example during 2006 and helped the Carroll County Drug Task Force significantly increase its enforcement efforts. According to Major Vernon Conaway, head of the State Police Drug Enforcement Command, Sgt. Stryjewski’s leadership and performance in 2006 was exemplary. He said Sgt. Stryjewski led his unit to substantial increases in every area of enforcement. They include:

-a 61 percent increase in the number of investigations initiated;

-a 153 percent increase in the number of drug purchases made;

-a 64 percent increase in the number of search warrants served;

-a 91 percent increase in the number of felony drug arrests made;

-a 974 percent increase in the amount of drug money recovered;

-a 250 percent increase in the amount of motor vehicles seized;

-a 450 percent increase in the number of real estate properties seized;

-a 400 percent increase in the number of firearms recovered;

-a 1000 percent increase in the amount of cocaine seized and dramatic increases in the seizure of other drugs in Carroll County as well.

Those dramatic increases were not because the task force had an “off” year in 2005. The leadership of Sgt. Stryjewski is credited with having a direct impact on those substantial increases.

The Carroll County Drug Task Force includes police officers from the Maryland State Police, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Westminster Police, and the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s Office. The task force is charged with identifying, infiltrating, and dismantling drug trafficking operations in Carroll County.