Police Officer of the Month

May 2003

Police Officer Brandi Kurty was selected as police officer of the month for May 2003. Officer Kurty produced an exceptional amount of work in May. She is a graduate of the Maryland Police Corps who has demonstrated excellent enforcement of both traffic and criminal violations.

In May, Officer Kurty responded to a call for a destruction of property in progress. Dispatch advised that occupants of a vehicle were smashing mailboxes and that the vehicle was a two-tone Chevy Suburban with the letter "x" in the license plate. Officer Kurty began to check the neighborhood and stopped a vehicle fitting the description. As Officer Kurty contacted the vehicle occupants, she observed a large metal pry bar in the rear seat area of the vehicle. She interviewed the juvenile occupants of the vehicle, who confessed to damaging the mailboxes.

Three times in May, Officer Kurty arrested drivers for DWI during traffic stops for moving violations. In all of the cases, she made contact with the driver and her observations caused her to believe that he was under the influence of alcohol. Officer Kurty conducted field sobriety tests and charged the driver in each cases with DWI and related violations.

Officer Kurty also received blood kit results from an investigation into a personal injury accident. The analysis found that the suspect had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .29. Officer Kurty contacted the suspect and charged him with DUI, negligent driving and other charges related to the incident

In another case, Officer Kurty responded to Main Street at the Baltimore County line for a police assist. Upon arrival, she met with a Baltimore County police officer who had two suspects detained for a theft that occurred on Main Street in Ellicott City. The owner of Jordan's Steakhouse advised that the two suspects left without paying for their $150.00 dinner. Both suspects initially gave false names and both were found to be wanted on open warrants. A search of one of the suspects also revealed CDS. Both suspects were arrested and charged for the theft and the open warrants. One suspect was also charged for the CDS.

In a telephone misuse case, Officer Kurty received information that an unknown suspect had called the victim's residence and made sexual comments. Through the investigation, Officer Kurty obtained the suspect's telephone number and address. She then contacted a male juvenile suspect and obtained a confession to making prank phone calls. The juvenile suspect also identified a friend who had made calls with him. Officer Kurty contacted the second suspect the following day. Both suspects were charged via juvenile arrest for telephone misuse.

Officer Kurty also responded to an address on Baltimore National Pike to assist with suspicious subjects. A K-9 scan was conducted on a vehicle with a positive reaction for CDS. Two suspects were arrested and charged with the CDS violation. An investigation into a stolen ATM card in the vehicle and other possible stolen property continues.

Officer Kurty takes extreme pride in her current position and in the Howard County Police Department. She voluntarily assists the HCPD Recruitment Section and has given presentations to assist in recruitment. She also volunteered in May to participate in a tug of war competition to benefit the Maryland Special Olympics.

Officer Kurty is an outstanding member of the Howard County Police Department and this recognition is well-deserved.