District VI - Working Together

The Prince George's County Police requests the communities' assistance in keeping our neighborhoods safe. We're asking for your EYES and EARS to gather and report any information relating to abnormal or suspicious activity in your neighborhood. If you see or hear such activity, please report your concerns as soon as possible by calling the police immediately. Your timely phone call will give the responding officer the best possible chance of catching the suspect(s). For police service of a non-emergency nature, please call (301) 333-4000. For emergency calls of a serious nature, dial 9-1-1.

A perfect example of this cooperation was displayed on March 14, 2002. An alert citizen called the police when they observed a taxi cab in front of a residence picking up a fare in the rain. This activity alone is not suspicious; however, the citizen noticed that the subject was carrying suitcases out the back door instead of the front, closest to where the cab was parked. The tag number and description of the cab and occupants was broadcast, causing an alert patrol officer to locate and stop the vehicle in the area of Powder Mill Road and Beltsville Drive. Further investigation revealed that the suspect burglarized the residence, stole the victim's luggage, placed stolen property in the suitcases, and called a cab from the victim's house to make his escape. The suspect admitted to the burglary and was charged accordingly. See--you can and do make a difference!

If time allows, gather as much detailed information as possible before calling the police. If a vehicle is involved, try to obtain the tag number, color, make, model and style of the vehicle. It would also be helpful to advise of the vehicle's last known direction of travel and any unusual or distinguishing features (such as body damage, loud exhaust or missing wheel covers). If a person is involved, try to describe him/her from head to toe (for example: white male, early 20's, blue baseball cap, shoulder-length blonde hair, blue hooded jacket, blue jeans and tan boots). Try to guess their height and weight. You may want to try and compare the suspect to someone you know, or, if close enough, compare them to yourself (i.e. I am 5'8" tall and he is 3 inches taller than me, so he must be 5'11" tall). If you notice any body markings such as a tattoo, describe it in detail, identifying where located on the body.

We are all very well aware that during an emergency situation a person's stress level is usually increased. Under these circumstances, try to remain calm, collect your thoughts, and immediately notify the police by calling 9-1-1. This is YOUR TIME TO SHINE. Give the complaint taker as much information as possible and stay on the line for as long as directed, unless it is unsafe to do so. Please do not assume that the call will not be dispatched until you are finished. The complaint taker is not the same person who will be dispatching the call. The information you supply, with frequent updates, will be given immediately to the dispatcher as it is received.

When calling for police service, please ask for the responding officer to contact you in person, if you so desire. This will allow you to give the officer direct information that may have been misinterpreted during your initial call. In addition, you may remember or be asked something that was not previously addressed. Anonymous callers will miss the opportunity to discuss their concerns in detail with the responding officer and may hamper the officer's ability to solve the problem. Call response times will vary depending on severity, call volume and number of available personnel. Please be patient; your call is important! Only TOGETHER can we improve the quality of life in OUR community.