Gaithersburg Police Department
{{Short description|Municipal police force
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{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox law enforcement agency
|agencyname = Gaithersburg Police Department
|nativename =
|nativenamea =
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|commonname = Gaithersburg P.D.
|abbreviation = GPD
|fictional =
|patch = Patch of the Gaithersburg Police Department.png
|patchcaption = Patch of the Gaithersburg Police Department
|logo = Seal of Gaithersburg, Maryland.png
|logocaption = Seal of the City of Gaithersburg
|badge = Badge of the Gaithersburg Police Department.png
|badgecaption = Badge of a Gaithersburg Police Department officer
|flag =
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|motto = Ministerium, integritas, observantia
|mottotranslated = (In Latin: "Service, integrity, respect.")
|formed = {{start date and age|1963|4|1}}
|preceding1 =
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|budget = $9,200,000 (as of 2014)
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|legaljuris = Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.
|governingbody =
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|constitution1 =
|police = yes
|local = yes
|military =
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|headquarters = 14 Fulks Corner Ave, Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.{{cite web|url=https://www.policeone.com/police-departments/gaithersburg-police-dept-gaithersburg-md/|title=Gaithersburg Police Department - Gaithersburg, MD|website=www.policeone.com}}
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|sworntype = Sworn officers
|unsworntype = Unsworn civilian employees
|unsworn = 9 (as of December 2016)
|unsworntype1 =
|unsworn1 =
|multinational =
|electeetype =
|minister1name =
|minister1pfo =
|chief1name = Mark P. Sroka
|chief1position = Chief of Police
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|vehicle1type = Cars
|vehicles1 = Ford Police Interceptor Sedan, Ford Police Interceptor Utility, Dodge Charger
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|website =https://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/government/departments/gaithersburg-police-department
|footnotes =
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}}
The Gaithersburg Police Department (GPD) is the municipal police force of Gaithersburg, Maryland.{{cite web|url=https://www.csmonitor.com/2001/1121/p3s1-usju.html|title=In burbs, 'high alert' brings subtle changes|first=Dante|last=Chinni|date=21 November 2001|publisher=|via=Christian Science Monitor}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/government/departments/gaithersburg-police-department/police-annual-reports|title=Police Annual Reports|website=www.gaithersburgmd.gov}}
History
{{Multiple image
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|image1=
|caption1=A Gaithersburg police car in the 1960s
|image2=Gaithersburg Police car, 1960s.jpg
|caption2=A Gaithersburg police car in the 1960s
|image3=Gatihersburg Police Department motorcycle officer, 1980s.jpg
|caption3=Gaithersburg P.D. motorcycle officer, c. 1980s
|image4=
|caption4=Gaithersburg P.D. car, c. 1980s}}
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|image3=
|caption3=A Gaithersburg police car in the 1970s
|image4=
|caption4=A Gaithersburg police car in the 1980s}}
{{Multiple image
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|image1=Patch of the Gaithersburg Police Department (1980s).png
|image2=Patch of the Gaithersburg Police Department (1970s).png
|image3=Patch of the Gaithersburg Police Department (former).png
|footer=Former GPD patches from the 20th century. During the 20th century, the GPD used a star-shaped badge.{{cite web|url=http://shop.copcollector.com/GAITHERSBURG-MD-POLICE-2001-PRESIDENTIAL-INAUGURATION-BADGE-GAITHERSBURG-MD-POLICE-2001.htm|title=GAITHERSBURG, MD POLICE 2001 PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION BADGE|website=shop.copcollector.com}}}}
=1963–1986: Founding=
The Gaithersburg Police Department was founded on April 1, 1963,{{cite web|url=http://www.gazette.net/gazette_archive/2001/200128/gaithersburg/news/62484-1.html|title=Gaithersburg police history an arresting family story|website=www.gazette.net}} when a resolution creating it was signed into law by the mayor of the city at the time, Merton F. Duvall.
The town budget for fiscal year 1964 included "police protection" salaries for the solitary officer amounting to $4,000 (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|4000|1964}} today), and equipment purchases of $500 (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|500|1964}} today).
It was under the administration of Chief DeVries that the Gaithersburg city police began to operate under its current system of dispatch through the Montgomery County Police Department. As a former Montgomery County Police lieutenant, DeVries was in a position to work with the County Police in a way that had previously not been possible.
=1986–1998: Expansion and modernization=
The Gaithersburg Police Department grew from an authorized strength of three sworn officers and one civilian clerk in the early 1970s, when the city's population was 7,000, to its current complement of 57 sworn officers and nine civilians. The majority of that growth occurred from 1986 to 1998 under the direction of then-chief Mary Ann Viverette.
In 1983, the GPD formed a traffic unit.
Viverette was the GPD's chief from 1986 until her retirement in May 2007. John King succeeded Viverette and served until 2010. The GPD currently falls under the leadership of Mark P. Sroka.
Organization
=Personnel=
From 1971 to 1990, the Gaithersburg Police Department only hired officers who had former experience as police officers.
The majority of the Gaithersburg's police officers have come from other agencies. The experience of these officers comes from agencies such as Montgomery County, Washington, D.C., United States Secret Service, Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Maryland National Capital Police, and Baltimore City, to name a few.
=Chiefs=
David Marstiller was the first Chief of Police,{{cite web|url=http://towncourier.com/a-talk-with-chief-sroka-on-departments-50th/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831180911/http://towncourier.com/a-talk-with-chief-sroka-on-departments-50th/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=August 31, 2017|title=A Talk with Chief Sroka on Departmentâs 50th|website=The Town Courier|accessdate=2017-08-31}} although there are references to a "Town Marshall" in the minutes of Town Council Meetings prior to 1963.
Over the years, there would be several chiefs of police; James Tassie, formerly of the Rockville City Police Department; Marson Johnson, who had been an officer in Michigan; John F. DeVries and George Fusco, both of whom had retired from the Montgomery County Police Department as lieutenants.
=List of chiefs=
| class="wikitable"
! Colspan="1"| No. ! Colspan="2"| Chief ! Colspan="1"| Rank ! Colspan="1"| Life ! Colspan="1"| Tenure ! Colspan="1"| Notes |
| valign="center"
|1 | |David Marstiller |Chief | | | |
| 2
| |James Tassie |Chief | | |Former Rockville City Police Department officer. |
| 3
| |Marson Harry Johnson, Sr. |Director of Police Services{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tampabaytimes/obituary.aspx?n=marson-h-johnson&pid=2330961|title=Dr. Marson H. Johnson's Obituary on Tampa Bay Times|website=Tampa Bay Times}} |February 20, 1941 – June 11, 2004 (aged 63) |1974–1977 |Former Michigan policeman. |
| 4
| |John F. DeVries, Sr. |Chief |1977–1980 |Former MCPD lieutenant |
| 5
|File:Chief George Fusco, Gaithersburg Police Department.png |Chief | |1981–1986 |Former MCPD lieutenant. |
| 6
| |Chief | |Retired in May 2007 |
| 7
| |Chief | |2007–2010 | |
| 8
| |Mark P. Sroka |Chief | |2010–present | |
{{Clear}}
See also
{{Portal|Maryland}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{Official website|https://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/government/departments/gaithersburg-police-department}}
Category:1963 establishments in Maryland