PGPD Patrol Officers of the Month

Prince George’s County patrol officers are out and about in the community, no matter the weather or time of day. The PGPD announced the patrol officers of the month on Monday, recognizing its officers’ commitment to public safety.

Police officer Jason Norman from district one successfully apprehended a man with a gun on June 24. Norman was on assignment near Bladensburg Road and Eastern Avenue when he saw two men approach a driver at a red light. The driver sped away. Officer Norman and colleagues approached the two men who fled as the officers got closer. Officers caught the two men, and found a gun on one. He was arrested.

Police officer Jarrod Salvestrini from district two stopped a car near Woodstream Turn and Palamar Drive in Lanham on June 27. Three people inside the car jumped out and ran away, but Salvestrini caught and arrested the driver. Officers found drugs in the car including 240 grams of suspected marijuana and 260 milliliters of liquid codeine.

On June 12, police officer Thomas Wilson from district three conducted a traffic stop and found a loaded pistol with an extended magazine in the trunk of a car following a domestic violence call to Suiter Way in Landover. The victim told officers he and his brother had fought throughout the day, and his brother had threatened him with a loaded pistol. Officer Thomas located the car and the pistol, and the suspect was arrested.

Police officer Matthew Leedy from district four responded to Sayan Court in Temple Hills on June 6 for a report of six men using illegal drugs. Leedy saw a car with the suspects leave the address and conducted a traffic stop. He smelled a strong odor of marijuana and found the drug along with a loaded handgun in the car. One of the passengers admitted both the marijuana and handgun belonged to him. He and the driver were arrested.

Police officer John Diggs from district five chased down a suspect who allegedly threatened a man with a knife on Allentown road in Temple Hills on June 4. The victim flagged down Diggs as he was on patrol and told him he had been threatened by the suspect. Diggs followed the suspect in his cruiser and ordered the man to stop. Two knives were found on the suspect, and he was arrested.

Police officer Matthew Vollono from district six responded to Golden Oak Drive in Laurel on June 17 after a 911 caller reported seeing two men looking inside of cars. Vollono was able to locate one of the men and interviewed him. The suspect did not live in the area and could not give an explanation for why he was there. When other officers arrived at the scene, Vollono backtracked to where he had seen the suspect and found a car with an open door. The car had been ransacked. A neighborhood resident told Vollono a man had been crawling in front of his home. The other suspect was arrested and the stolen property returned.

Photo: Officers from left to right, top to bottom: Jason Norman from district 1, Jarrod Salvestrini from district 2, Thomas Wilson from district 3, Matthew Leedy from district 4, John Diggs from district 5, Matthew Vollono from district 6. Credit: Prince George’s County Police Department