Officer Amy Caprio Memorial At Parkville Precinct Featured

PERRY HALL, MD — More than a year after Officer Amy Caprio was killed in the line of duty, her colleagues at the Parkville precinct are keeping a unique memorial there in her honor. The precinct shared a photo this week of Caprio's patrol car door — 814 — which had been signed with messages to the officer.

The precinct also installed a plaque in her memory earlier this year in the lobby of the building on Old Harford Road.

These memorials at the precinct are among the many ways people are continuing to remember Caprio and keep her spirit alive. Others include a scholarship fund at Towson University, a memorial bike ride near Gunpowder State Park and an installation at the Humane Society of Harford County.

Caprio, 29, transferred to Parkville from the Essex precinct eight months before her death on May 21, 2018. She was commended for her work ethic and was known for her love of helping others — people as well as their pets. Police said she excelled at maintaining a visible presence in the communities she covered while balancing the patrol and investigative components of the job.

The afternoon of May 21, Caprio was responding to a call about suspicious circumstances in Perry Hall. Several people were walking around houses on Linwen Way, and as she was on the way there, police said she was informed there was a suspect vehicle described as a black Jeep.

Caprio called for clearance of radio transmissions as she approached the Jeep, which authorities said was stolen, as she recognized a potentially dangerous situation. The driver — later identified as teenager Dawnta Anthony Harris — refused to get out after she ordered him to eight times, WJZ reported.

Instead, Harris drove toward Caprio, who was standing in front of her patrol car and was able to fire a single round into the Jeep's windshield before he hit her. Autopsy results indicated her death was a homicide due to traumatic injuries from being hit by the Jeep.

Police said after Caprio died that her work led to charges in her own murder and helped investigators close six burglaries.

Guilty Verdict Issued, 3 Pleas Submitted

Nearly a year after he ran over the officer, Harris was found guilty of first-degree murder, first-degree burglary and theft from $1,500 to $25,000. The jury issued the verdict on May 1 following more than a week of proceedings.

Sentencing for Harris, 17, of the 1600 block of Vincent Court in west Baltimore, will take place in Baltimore County Circuit Court on July 23. He has already filed a request for a new trial, according to court records.

After Harris was convicted, his three alleged accomplices pleaded guilty to murder on June 3, when they were set to appear for a motions hearing.

According to their plea deals, WBAL reported the teens would plead guilty to felony murder while the state would drop burglary charges and request a 39-year sentence for the murder charge, which could carry a sentence of life in prison. These three entered guilty pleas to murder:

• Eugene Robert Genius, 19, of the 400 block of North Lakewood Road, Baltimore, 21224
• Derrick Eugene Matthews, 17, of the 200 block of South Dallas Court, Baltimore, 21231
• Darrell Jaymar Ward, 16, of the 2300 block of Ashland Avenue, Baltimore, 21205

Genius, Matthews and Ward are set to appear for sentencing on Sept. 16.

Memorials Keep Spirit Of Caprio Alive

Members of the Baltimore County Police Department wore mourning bands on Tuesday, May 21, on the anniversary of Caprio's death. She was the only female officer in the department's 145-year history to die in the line of duty.

Others gathered in Perry Hall for a moment of reflection:

On what would have been Caprio's 31st birthday — May 27, 2019, which happened to be Memorial Day — community members took to the trails for the 2nd annual Amy's Ride and Run at Jerusalem Mill. It was organized in part by her husband, Tim Caprio, an avid cyclist.

He described her as "strong willed," "selfless" and one who "saw the good in people," telling Fox 45: "You know, I just want to kind of carry that on the rest of my life."

Proceeds from the bike ride and run, which attracted hundreds, went to the scholarship fund created in Caprio's name at Towson University. She graduated from Towson in 2010 with a degree in exercise science and planned to go into physical therapy but was called to become a police officer.

Speaking at the Memorial Day event, her supervisor recalled that Caprio, a dog lover, would take dog treats with her on calls, just in case she came upon a stray. But there were two additional things that she found vital to her work, according to WMAR, which quoted her supervisor as saying: "She encouraged all of us to carry those two things with us on every call, and those two things were kindness and compassion."

In August 2018, the Humane Society of Harford County donated a kennel and plaque to Caprio, who along with her husband adopted their dog, Doodle, from the shelter.

After her death, those who wished to make memorial contributions were asked to send them to the Humane Society of Harford County. The nonprofit reported that after three months, it had received more than $27,000 in donations in her honor.

"We are humbled and truly honored to be a part of Amy's legacy, and we will never forget her and the ultimate sacrifice that she made while protecting our community," the Humane Society of Harford County said at the time. It is based in Fallston, the community that Amy and her husband Tim Caprio called home.

Read more articles about Officer Amy Caprio on Perry Hall Patch:

• Officer Amy Caprio Murder Trial: Jury Rules On Dawnta Harris Fate
• Slain Officer Amy Caprio Given Hero's Send-Off In Harford County
• Officer Amy Caprio Murder: 3 Teens Plead Guilty
• Scholarship For Officer Amy Caprio Created At Towson University
• Boat In Ocean City Displays Banner To Honor Officer Amy Caprio
• Harford Humane Society Memorializes Officer Amy Caprio
• Firefighter Who Aided Officer Caprio Graduates From Academy
• Officer Amy Caprio Murder Trial Begins
• 2 Teens Indicted In Death Of Officer Caprio Seek Release On Bail
• Obituary, Funeral Services For Slain Officer Amy Caprio
• Slain Baltimore County Officer Amy Caprio: 5 Things To Know
• Teens Indicted On Murder Charges In Death Of Officer Caprio
• Thousands Salute Officer Caprio Along Funeral Procession
• Officer Amy Caprio Awarded Posthumous Departmental Honor

A tribute video was released in April to memorialize her: