Sometime between 11:45 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., unknown suspect(s) gained entry to the residence and went through items in the house. Nothing appears to have been taken.

Around 4 a.m., unknown suspect entered the business by damaging a window. Items were moved inside but nothing appears to have been taken.

Each year for National Arson Awareness Week, the U.S. Fire Administration gathers and shares information to raise awareness of arson and provide individuals with strategies to combat these problems in their community.

This year’s National Arson Awareness Week theme is "Prevent Wildfire Arson - Spread the Facts Not the Fire." Arson is the willful, malicious, intentional and/or reckless burning of your property or someone else’s. Wildfire arson takes place on underdeveloped wildland or uncultivated land comprised of forest, brush or grassland.

• During the five-year period 2010-2014, 23 percent of wildfires reported were arson (U.S. Department of the Interior).
• Individual arson fires can cause damages to resources and communities totaling over a hundred million dollars (U.S. Forest Service).
• More than half a million wildfires are set by arsonists each year in the U.S., resulting in over $3 billion in damages (National Institute of Standards and Technology and U.S. Department of Agriculture).

To learn more about how to prevent wildfire arson, visit FEMA's website. Materials from previous Arson Awareness Week programs are also available to read and download.

Original release (April 29, 2016  10:48 a.m.):

May is a time for proms and graduations. Teens want to celebrate after working hard all year, but this can be a dangerous time if they aren’t careful.

Peer pressure can factor in when making decisions such as whether to drink and drive. Baltimore County Police hope teens will make the right decision not to drive while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Teenage drinking is illegal.

Anyone under 21 who purchases or possesses alcohol can be fined $500 for the first offense and $1,000 for a second offense.

Anyone under the age of 21 caught Driving Under the Influence (DUI) - alcohol in the system - risks losing the right to drive for up to one year. For a second offense, the suspension is increased to two years.

A DUI has other negative effects. There are lawyer’s fees if the teen goes to court; the cost of the DUI ticket; and the potential for a dramatic rise in the cost of insurance or loss of insurance. A DUI can also affect future college plans.

Parents risk a fine and/or jail time if they provide alcohol to minors.

The Baltimore County Police Department wants teens to enjoy this special time while acting responsibly.

A 26-year-old man was injured Saturday in a shooting in the 100 block of Wesley Avenue in Precinct 1/Wilkens.

Police responded to the call for a shooting just after 4 p.m. The victim was transported to a local hospital and is expected to survive his injuries.

The investigation by the Violent Crimes Unit is ongoing. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

Update, May 3, 2016:

The suspect in this case is Charles J. Muchanic, 43, of the 800 block of Cove Mountain Road, Gladstone, VA, 24553. He is charged with one count of trespass. Muchanic was released from the Baltimore County Detention Center on $7,500 bond.

Original release:

A man is in custody following a barricade in the 10900 block of Notchcliff Road in Parkville. The man was not armed and there were no injuries.

At 11 a.m., a security alarm was activated in the building that houses the armory at the Maryland National Guard property. Army personnel responded to the alarm, and after observing a male subject they called police. Because of the sensitive location, police dispatched the Negotiations Team and the Tactical Unit.

The man exited the armory without incident after speaking with police and was immediately taken into custody. The suspect will be sent for evaluation, and charges are pending.

At no point did the suspect have access to the weapons in the armory, which are stored in a secure vault.

Charges are pending against a 20-year-old man who assaulted an acquaintance with a chemical spray last night at the Towson Town Center.

The exact type of chemical spray has not been determined but it appears similar to mace or pepper spray, housed in a canister for personal protection.

Fire and Police Department personnel responded to the Towson Town Center in the 800 block of Dulaney Valley Road at about 8:15 p.m. for a report of a possible chemical irritant  in the mall, on the third floor. EMS personnel promptly evaluated about a half dozen people who had been affected by the irritant. One -- a pregnant woman -- was transported to The Johns Hopkins Hospital as a precautionary measure. Several other people refused medical transport, including the man who told police that the suspect deliberately sprayed him with the chemical.

This victim told police that the suspect -- a friend -- confronted him on the third floor of the mall and quickly pulled out a small canister, spraying him with the chemical.

Assault charges are pending against the suspect, who will be identified once he is formally charged.

Fire Department units cleared the scene by about 9:20 p.m.

A police officer from Precinct 1/Wilkens was injured yesterday when he was assaulted by an armed suspect in the 1900 block of Halethorpe Ave., 21227.

The officer was transported to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center with injuries sustained when the suspect -- Franklin A. Rider, 19, of the 1900 block of Halethorpe Ave.,  punched him repeatedly in the face with a closed fist.

Rider is charged with first degree assault, assault on a police officer and other offenses. He is held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $50,000 bail.

Police were called to the Halethorpe Avenue location at about 6:30 p.m. for a call of a disturbance. Rider's mother told police that her son was "destroying the house." The suspect, Rider, fled when police called out to him, and when officers caught up with him outside the home they saw what appeared to be a handgun in one of his hands and a knife in the other. The suspect dropped the weapons when ordered by police and immediately began physically to assault one of the officers. The officer used pepper spray to subdue the suspect so he could be placed under arrest.

The weapons -- initially believed to be a knife and a small handgun -- were a pair of scissors and a lighter shaped like a handgun. The investigation found that the suspect was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

The injured officer is a 3 1/2 year-veteran of BCoPD, Officer First Class J. Myers. He has been released from the hospital and continues to recuperate.

Baltimore County Police seek the public's help finding a Lutherville man missing since last week despite an extensive search by law enforcement.

Brian Keith Wallen, 52, of the 500 block of Wyngate Rd., is considered a "critical" missing person because investigators believe he may be suicidal.

Wallen, who is white, is 6' tall and 190 pounds; he is bald and has blue eyes. He was last seen wearing khaki shorts, a ball cap, blue T-shirt and sweatshirt of unknown color.

Police began searching for Wallen on April 28 after Wallen's lawyer called to report that he had received what sounded like a "goodbye" letter from his client. Police responded to the Wyngate Road home, where they found a suicide note.

Police also found Wallen's silver Jeep, unoccupied and locked at the Fire Trail at Loch Raven Reservoir between Surrey and Old Bosley roads. An exhaustive search of the reservoir and surrounding area has since been conducted by BCoPD's Tactical Unit, K-9 Unit, Air Unit, Baltimore Environmental Police and search dogs from Mason Dixon Rescue Dogs Inc. and Chesapeake Search Dogs. This search has revealed no trace of Wallen.

Anyone with information about this case should contact BCoPD as soon as possible, 410-307-2020.

Today Baltimore County participated in Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens' annual "Fallen Heroes Day," an occasion to honor Maryland's law enforcement officers, correctional officers and fire and EMS personnel who have given their lives in service to others.

Baltimore County Police Chief Jim Johnson wishes to share the Memorial Address given by Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz at today's event. "The County Executive's remarks captured the poignancy of this tragic year for Maryland law enforcement and made important points about the relationship between police and citizens."

Here is the text of the County Executive's remarks:

Good afternoon, everyone. I am honored to be here again this year on behalf of the people of Baltimore County to offer thanks to all the first responders – the recently lost and the long remembered – who have given their lives in service to others across this state. We feel the deepest gratitude to Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens for giving us this opportunity.

I am certain that all of you, like me, share a sense that the past 12 months were especially painful in the public safety community. That is certainly true here in Maryland, where we lost in shocking and terrible ways the four police officers whose names today will be added to the Fallen Heroes Memorial; … and where three weeks ago today Prince George's County Firefighter-Paramedic John Ulmschneider died and another volunteer firefighter was wounded when they were shot on a routine medical call.

Whether public safety personnel are under deliberate attack is a point of debate. But there is no question that across the nation this feels like an unusually tumultuous and perilous time for our men and women in uniform. It seems as though a news cycle does not pass without some tragedy involving an officer, firefighter or EMS responder; as though every social media login summons images of badges banded in black.

The dangers are not merely physical. For law enforcement in particular, the atmosphere in many communities is fraught with uneasiness. Every day – on radio shows and newscasts, in conversations on street corners and around dinner tables – Americans are questioning the role of police in our society and challenging law enforcement in ways not seen since the Sixties. There must be room, of course, for constructive conversation on these matters, and a willingness to work toward understanding of our different points of view. Our public safety professionals and volunteers understand this.

But there is no question that everyone here who wears a badge – and the overwhelming majority of first responders everywhere – chose the calling out of a desire to serve and, in the case of law enforcement, with great respect for the powers given to them. So it is no wonder if they are disturbed when their motives and commitment are questioned and their decisions second-guessed.

 It is no wonder if they feel embattled by criticism and controversy and an atmosphere of distrust, and by media coverage that often conflates wrongdoing by the few with an indictment of an entire profession.

 It is no wonder that the current angry, conflict-ridden climate breeds discouragement, cynicism and the idea that the work of public safety is grossly undervalued and the sacrifice of the brave forgotten.

But is this really true? Is the sacrifice forgotten? Or, is it possible that loud headlines and louder voices simply have made the heartfelt appreciations of ordinary people harder to hear?

After the murder of the two Harford sheriff’s deputies, a photo circulated of one of the agency’s patrol cars smothered in flowers, balloons, American flags and messages of love and appreciation. No doubt you have seen this picture; the windshield, the hood, the roof, the pavement on all four sides of the vehicle are covered in tributes. The day of the funeral, people stood on overpasses and along roadsides to pay their respects. Some, no doubt, took time off from work to do so. Supportive messages appeared on billboards and placards on churches, schools, restaurants and shops. The outpouring of sympathy from across the state and across the nation simply staggered. Perhaps the expressions of grief were especially overwhelming in this case because two officers died simultaneously, but in fact for every line of duty death we see the roadside salutes, the flags, the Facebook condolences, acknowledgement that a hero has passed.

These expressions come not merely from the public safety community. They come from ordinary people who understand what sacrifice means …  who know that all the bouquets and balloons in the world are insufficient to thank those willing to run toward danger, confront the heart of darkness and die for a safer, better world.

This is a mournful day. Our hearts ache especially for the families and friends of the newly fallen, whose pride today mingles with pain.

But there is solace, too.

There is comfort in the knowledge that the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary people are valued and will be remembered – not just by loved ones but by people they never even knew.

There is comfort in seeing that in a divided world unity is possible still.   

There in comfort in this, a message handwritten in blue marker on a poster board, meant for the two Harford deputies but meaningful for all we remember today:

“In honored memory of the fallen. May their spirit endure. With love and gratitude to those who keep the watch.”

Original release (May 7, 2016  2:03 p.m.):

This incident will continue to be investigated by the Baltimore County Police Arson Unit.

Original release (May 8, 2016  8:03 p.m.):

At 6:46 p.m. this evening, Baltimore County Police and Fire personnel responded to the 16000 block of Trenton Road 21155 for a report of serious crash.

The preliminary investigation into the crash has indicated that a woman in her late 60s had bent over in a driveway and was struck by a pickup truck that was backing out of that driveway.

The woman was declared deceased. The pickup truck remained at the scene.

This crash is under investigation by the Baltimore County Police Department Crash Team. The investigation is expected to take several weeks.

Original release (May 10, 2016  8:33 a.m.):

Baltimore County Police need the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect who broke into a store in Essex.

On April 28 at 1:55 a.m., the suspect gained entry to the Family Dollar Store in the 300 block of Eastern Boulevard 21221 by breaking the door glass with a rock. The suspect then took food, candy, and cigars from the store.

Pictures of the suspect were captured on the store’s video surveillance system.

The incident is being investigated by the Baltimore County Police Burglary Unit.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call police at 410-307-2020 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

Video clips from the store's video surveillance system are available on our YouTube page.

https://youtu.be/u6-NbuqVwa0

https://youtu.be/sKf1V-1Swg0

Callers to Metro Crime Stoppers

If your tip to the Metro Crime Stoppers hotline leads to the arrest and/or indictment of a suspect, for a felony crime, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000 from Metro Crime Stoppers.

If you have information on the above crime/suspect please call, text, or e-mail: Metro Crime Stoppers hotline available 24-hours a day toll free.

You can remain anonymous.

Phone: 1-866-7LOCKUP

Text message: Text "MCS" plus your message to "CRIMES" (274637)

Web tip:www.metrocrimestoppers.org

The promotional ceremony of 57 members of the Baltimore County Fire Department took place on May 5 at the Randallstown Community Center in Randallstown.

County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, Fire Chief John Hohman and other dignitaries joined family and friends at the ceremony. Clerk of the Court, Julie Ensor, officiated in the swearing in of the promotees.

The following were promoted:

Promoted to EMS Captain
Jeffrey Willats

Promoted to Fire Captain
John Cromwell Jr.
Paul Fenush
Duane Ludwig
Jay Miller
Dale Richardson
Michael Ruppert

Promoted to EMS Lieutenant
Michael Hoffman
Nicola Maguire
Nicole Nappi

Promoted to Fire Lieutenant
Aaron Carter
Michael Day
Evan Dayhoff
Michael Dennis
John Dentler
Robert Diegel
Anthony Espinosa
David Gouak Jr.
Thomas Kimbel
Andrew Laird
Matthew Lancaster
Kimberly Myers
Jason Porrovicchio
Donald Pruitt
Scott Wagner
Brandon Watkins
Eric Wentworth
Brent Williams
Gretchen Yingling

Promoted to Paramedic
Emily Cole

Promoted to FADO
Zachary Belcher
Ryan Bender
Andrew Capone
Kevin Cunningham
Joseph Fiedler III
Christopher Mack
Michael Murphy
Christopher Niner
Stephen Pearce
Norman Simpkins Jr.
Jason Sparks
Phillip Tran

Promoted to Fire Specialist
Chad Barben
David Blenman
James Ford
Nicholas Gamble
Michael Griffiths
Richard Hays
Nicholas Hornberger
Nathaniel Lewis
Erin Pasquali
Daniel Phillips
Michael Szczesniakowski
Michael Walters
Karen Zeiler

Promoted to Management Analyst II
Kathleen Suter

Promoted to Office Coordinator
Geegee Haith

UPDATE (May 10, 2016  6:38 p.m.):

A Federal Criminal Complaint has been filed against 52-year-old Brian Keith Wallen by the United States Attorney for Maryland. The complaint alleges Wallen's involvement in a mail fraud scheme.

Wallen was reported missing from Lutherville on April 28 and was the subject of an intense search by Baltimore County Police.

Further information on the Federal Criminal Complaint can be found on the United States' Attorney's website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/owner-reisterstown-telemarketing-business-charged-nationwide-office-supply-scam-0

Anyone with information on Brian Keith Wallen is asked to call police at 410-307-2020.

Original release (May 6, 2016 2:10 p.m.):

Baltimore County Police seek the public's help finding a Lutherville man missing since last week despite an extensive search by law enforcement.

Brian Keith Wallen, 52, of the 500 block of Wyngate Rd., is considered a "critical" missing person because investigators believe he may be suicidal.

Wallen, who is white, is 6' tall and 190 pounds; he is bald and has blue eyes. He was last seen wearing khaki shorts, a ball cap, blue T-shirt and sweatshirt of unknown color.

Police began searching for Wallen on April 28 after Wallen's lawyer called to report that he had received what sounded like a "goodbye" letter from his client. Police responded to the Wyngate Road home, where they found a suicide note.

Police also found Wallen's silver Jeep, unoccupied and locked at the Fire Trail at Loch Raven Reservoir between Surrey and Old Bosley roads. An exhaustive search of the reservoir and surrounding area has since been conducted by BCoPD's Tactical Unit, K-9 Unit, Air Unit, Baltimore Environmental Police and search dogs from Mason Dixon Rescue Dogs Inc. and Chesapeake Search Dogs. This search has revealed no trace of Wallen.

Anyone with information about this case should contact BCoPD as soon as possible, 410-307-2020.

A memorial service to honor Baltimore County police officers who died while performing their duties will take place Friday, May 13 at 10 a.m. The service will be held in the Patriot Plaza, 401 Bosley Avenue, Towson, Maryland.

In the event of extreme weather conditions, police cadets will direct guests from the Patriot Plaza to an indoor location.

County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, Baltimore County Police Chief James W. Johnson, government dignitaries and the families of the fallen will attend the service.

Nine wreaths will be placed at the memorial by the Police Department Honor Guard. The nine are in memoriam of the fallen nine officers.

The names of officers who died and who will be remembered for their service and dedication are:

Officer Jason Schneider
On August 28, 2013, Tactical Officer Jason Schneider was shot while serving a warrant in Precinct 1/Wilkens. An investigation into an August 19 shooting on Winters Lane led detectives to a home on Roberts Avenue. Tactical Officer Schneider was shot after an exchange of gunfire with a subject inside the Roberts Avenue home. He was transferred to Shock Trauma, where he later died. Officer Schneider was 36 years old.

Lieutenant Michael Howe
Lieutenant Michael Howe died on August 11, 2008 following a massive stroke. On August 10, 2008, Lieutenant Howe was with his unit at the scene of a murder-suicide in Precinct 4/Pikesville. When Lieutenant Howe returned home after the incident, he collapsed. He was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital where he died the next afternoon.

Sergeant Mark Parry
Sergeant Mark Parry died on January 21, 2002 from injuries sustained in a traffic crash. On December 27, 2001, while on routine patrol in Towson, Sergeant Parry’s unmarked police car was hit by a drunk driver. The driver fled the scene and was arrested a short distance later.

Officer John Stem
Officer John Stem died on October 19, 2000 of complications of paraplegia caused by a line-of-duty gunshot wound he suffered in July 1977. Officer Charles Huckeba was fatally wounded during the same incident in Precinct 1/Wilkens. Officers Stem and Huckeba and other officers were trying to subdue an agitated, armed, 19-year-old man who barricaded himself in his family’s home.

Sergeant Bruce Prothero
On February 7, 2000, Sergeant Bruce Prothero was shot and killed during an armed robbery on Reisterstown Road. Four men robbed the jewelry store where the married father of five worked part time as a security guard. Sergeant Prothero followed the armed robbers out of the store and was shot by one of the men. He died an hour later at a local hospital.

Officer Robert Zimmerman
On November 5, 1986, Officer Robert Zimmerman was on foot patrol on Edmondson Avenue in Precinct 1/Wilkens when he was struck in traffic and critically injured. The 41-year-old officer died on November 14, 1986 as a result of his injuries.

Corporal Samuel Snyder
In August of 1983, Corporal Samuel Snyder, a thirty-year veteran of the department, was shot by a mentally ill subject while responding to a call for assistance from fellow officers in Towson. Officer Snyder died on August 23, 1983 from his wounds.

Officer Charles Huckeba
Officer Charles Huckeba was shot and killed on July 6, 1977 in Precinct 1/Wilkens as police attempted to talk an armed, drug-abusing, barricaded youth into surrendering. Officer John Stem was also injured during this incident. Officer Stem succumbed to his injuries 23 years later on October 19, 2000.

Officer Edward Kuznar
On December 9, 1969, Officer Edward Kuznar died as a result of a traffic accident. While on traffic patrol near Kingsville, Kuznar was hit head-on by a driver who crossed the center line and crashed into his police car. Both the officer and the driver were killed.

The Baltimore County Police Department Memorial consists of a carved replica of the department badge, flanked by two memorial tablets engraved with the names of those who have died in the line-of-duty since the department was established in 1874.

It bears the inscription:

In lasting memory of those officers and families who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.

Matthew 5:9

UPDATE (May 11, 2016  12:47 p.m.):

Baltimore County Police have charged a suspect in connection with a homicide on Emelia Woods Court 21206 in July 2015.

Kevin Isaiah Spruill (22) has been charged with first-degree murder and is being held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center.

Just after midnight on July 24, 2015, police were called to the Unit block of Emelia Woods Court 21206 for a report of a shooting. When officers arrived on the scene, they found 27-year-old Travis Bryan Durant sitting in a white 2004 Buick LaSabre, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Durant was transported to Franklin Square Hospital where he died.

The investigation into this incident has indicated that Durant lived at a home in the unit block of Emelia Woods Court with his girlfriend. He had also recently started a relationship with another woman who had a child in common with Spruill. On the evening of July 23, Durant had been at the home of the woman who he recently started a relationship with. After arriving back on Emelia Woods Court, he encountered Spruill who shot him multiple times.

This incident remains under investigation by the Baltimore County Police Homicide Unit.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Baltimore County Police at 410-307-2020 or Mtero Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

Booking Photograph of Kevin Isaiah Spruill

UPDATE (July 24  1:47 p.m.):

The victim has been identified as 27-year-old Travis Bryan Durant of the unit block of Emelia Woods Ct 21206.

Original release (July 24  8:26 a.m.):

Just after midnight, Baltimore County Police and Fire personnel responded to the Unit block of Emelia Woods Ct 21206 for a report of a shooting. When officers arrived on the scene, they found an adult male sitting in a vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

The male was taken to an area hospital where he was later declared deceased.

This incident is under investigation by the Baltimore County Police Department Homicide Unit. Detectives will be working to determine of this was a targeted crime.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call police at 410-307-2020 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.

Callers to Metro Crime Stoppers

If your tip to the Metro Crime Stoppers hotline leads to the arrest and/or indictment of a suspect, for a felony crime, you may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000 from Metro Crime Stoppers. Your tip must be made through Metro Crime Stoppers in order to be eligible.

If you have information on the above crime/suspect please call, text, or e-mail: Metro Crime Stoppers hotline available 24-hours a day toll free.

You can remain anonymous.

Phone: 1-866-7LOCKUP

Text message: Text "MCS" plus your message to "CRIMES" (274637)

Web tip:www.metrocrimestoppers.org

The next edition of Police Report, the Baltimore County Police Department’s cable TV program, runs through May.

The topic in the opening segment is Precinct 9 White Marsh. Captain Chris Kelly, commander of Precinct 9 White Marsh, discusses the daily operations and activities in the White Marsh area of Baltimore County.

The second segment focuses on home safety during the warm weather months. Sergeant Charles Fleet of the Woodlawn Precinct’s Community Outreach Team offers crime prevention tips to help prevent your family from becoming a victim of crime during the vacation and summer season.

The program airs five days a week on Cable Channel 25, only in Baltimore County. The times are:

Monday: 10:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Tuesday: 9 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Wednesday: 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Thursday: Noon, 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m., 5 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m., 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m., 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Police Report is available online if you would like to watch it on your own computer, on your own schedule.

Today is Police Memorial Day, the annual remembrance of the nine Baltimore County Police Department's who died in the line of duty, as well as department members who died while in police service.

BCoPD's fallen officers are: Officer Edward Kuznar (d. 1969); Officer Charles A. Huckeba (d. 1977); Corporal Samuel L. Snyder (d. 1983); Officer Robert W. Zimmerman (d. 1986); Sergeant Bruce A. Prothero (d. 2000); Officer John W. Stem Sr. (d. 2000); Sergeant Mark F. Parry (d. 2002); Lieutenant Michael  P. Howe (d. 2008); and Officer Jason L. Schneider (d. 2013).

The ceremony, usually held at Patriot Plaza in Towson, was moved due to inclement weather to the County Council chambers at the Historic Courthouse in Towson. Here is the text of Police Chief Jim Johnson' remarks:

Good morning, fellow officers, honored guests and citizens of Baltimore County. Thank you for taking the time to be with us as we observe our annual Police Memorial Day. This is an occasion to remember the nine Baltimore County Police officers who gave their lives in the line of duty and, in so doing, to contemplate the meaning of the work that we do.

I do not need to tell you that all across this nation law enforcement finds itself beset by turmoil, controversy and danger. Here in Maryland, police over the past 12 months have been touched by all three.

The turmoil from the 2015 unrest in Baltimore City – felt keenly here and the other counties touching Baltimore -- carried over into the New Year and has yet to see resolution in the courts and in the court of public opinion.

The controversy spawned by the Freddie Gray incident and by contentious incidents in other towns, cities and states continues to dominate headlines, foment divisions and cast an unrelenting spotlight on our mission, methods and motives.

Police work is inherently dangerous. The danger is not – as some critics of law enforcement contend – a myth. Police have not invented a threat in order to avoid a conversation about accountability. We understand fully the need to explain and defend the use of the powers entrusted to us, and to confront errors and wrongdoing on our part. We are not imagining that the times have produced anger and resentment over everything from economic and racial injustice to mental health issues and the perceived failure of institutions. All of this has morphed into a feeling of disdain for governmental authority in general and of contempt for police in particular.

While most Americans respect police and understand the challenges we face each day, the present climate is a breeding ground for non-compliance with and violence against officers. Even wholly justifiable police actions are scrutinized, criticized and second-guessed in TV and newspaper stories, on social media and around water coolers. Pervasive anti-police rhetoric empowers the few – the unbalanced and the radical – to turn their feelings into deadly action.

Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice published a study on ambush attacks on police. It notes, “Concerns about targeted violence against police are rising in an era of strained community relations, struggles with police legitimacy, and anti-government extremism.”  After years of holding steady, the number of ambushes on police is rising and now constitutes the second-leading cause of shooting deaths of officers; the recent deaths of two Harford County sheriff’s deputies and a Prince George’s County detective in unprovoked, sudden attacks make us painfully aware of this fact.

It is nearly two years – an eternity in this era of 30-second attention spans -- since events in Ferguson, Missouri started us down this difficult road, and still there is no end in sight. We must remember that the tenacity of this national debate shows that citizens in many communities have experiences and a point of view to which attention must be paid. The discontent is not based on nothing.

And yet, as an officer for more than 40 years who has witnessed the commitment and sacrifice of thousands of fellow police men and women and the ultimate sacrifice of far too many, I am disturbed by the disparagement of our profession. I am troubled at the stubbornness of the chosen narrative of “problem policing,” even when the facts show an officer properly responded to a threat.  I am concerned that the mood of the moment may cause some – even some of us – to question the nobility and worth of our calling.

Last year, 124 U.S. officers gave their lives in the quest for a peaceful, orderly world; 42 of them died by gunfire. Thirty-five already have died this year. These figures actually understate the risks. Given that the number of non-fatal shootings is rising, we can conclude that the number of fatalities would be even higher were it not for advances in protective gear and other technology – and especially for advances in the Fire, EMS and medical profession. These first responders are saving people who in earlier eras would have died, while taking on plenty of risk themselves. They are our partners, and we thank them.

To take a longer view, consider the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. More than 20,000 names of officers killed in the line of duty are inscribed on this monument; the first known death dates back to 1791. Regardless of when they lived and died, these were men and women of valor: Fearless in the face of danger, caring of their fellow man, driven by a cause more important than themselves.

Our nine fallen heroes are remembered there, as they are here:

Edward Kuznar … Charles Huckeba … Samuel Snyder … Robert Zimmerman … Bruce Prothero … John Stem … Mark Parry … Michael Howe … Jason Schneider.

This morning is a time to remember them as we knew them – as friends, as fathers, as sons and brothers. It is a time for laughter as we recall them in happier times. It may be a time to feel the pangs of grief anew.

But most of all, this ceremony is a chance to reflect on why we are police officers … and why – no matter how fraught the times – the work we do matters.