Police Officer of the Month

June 2004

Detective First Class Clayton Davis has been selected as Police Officer of the Month for June 2004.

DFC. Davis volunteered to be a full-time robbery detective in the Street Robbery Unit and adjusted his schedule to straight evenings to best address ongoing robbery issues. During the month of June, he closed seven cases in Howard County and was instrumental in linking one suspect to 14 cases in surrounding jurisdictions.

In one interview, DFC Davis obtained a confession in a 2003 case in which the suspect had stolen a piece of heavy equipment valued at $30,000. DFC Davis recovered the equipment and obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect.

In another case, patrol officers who had arrested a man for a purse snatching contacted DFC Davis, who had been investigating a number of robberies in the Columbia Mall area. After interviewing the suspect and obtaining a confession, DFC Davis linked the suspect to four other robberies. During the subsequent search of a home, DFC Davis recovered drugs and drug paraphernalia and the suspect was charged with those crimes as well.

Later in the month, DFC Davis responded to a robbery at an Exxon station. A suspect used a credit card to make a purchase, then displayed a knife and demanded money from the cash drawer. DFC Davis gathered information and evidence at the scene. Later that day, officers responded to Giant Foods for a fraud report involving a stolen check. When officers approached the suspect, he ran, tried to carjack a woman, and then fought with the officers. The suspect was arrested and found to be in possession of the credit card used in the earlier robbery at Exxon. DFC Davis and another detective obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s vehicle and gathered evidence further linking the suspect to the robbery at Exxon.

In another case, DFC Davis assisted a new auto theft detective with the interviews of four juvenile suspects who had stolen a car and attempted to steal four additional vehicles. He responded to the call while off-duty and helped obtain confessions from the suspects.

DFC Davis shows a true commitment and dedication to the police department. He utilizes his skills in investigations and interviews and offers his experience and time to the department and fellow officers. He is more than deserving of this recognition.