Other police agencies in Maryland, including the state police, also stopped using the "step-out" method on high-speed roadways.
"This tragedy and the other incidences that have occurred ... really underscore the dangers our personnel face each and every day out on the road," said McMahon, who added that all department members who must walk into traffic, including crossing guards, will take part in a new training program this month.
McMahon said Wheeler had worked 65 to 70 similar operations. "We're confident that his actions were appropriate here," the police chief said.
Although the department will cease the method for safety reasons, McMahon said he knows it works. The number of speeding citations written on the roadways where the method was used has decreased 40 percent to 50 percent since it was suspended.
Tracy Wheeler is working with the Howard County Police Officers' Association to "carry on Scott's legacy," said the president of the union, Dan Besseck. The efforts include establishing a memorial foundation in his honor.
In October, two brown road signs were placed in the median of Route 32 where Wheeler was hit to remind drivers of the tragedy. Tracy Wheeler and her husband's parents attended the unveiling ceremony for the signs.
The signs are inscribed with the words: "Dedicated to Cpl. Scott A. Wheeler."
Sun reporter Larry Carson contributed to this article.
tyeesha.dixon@baltsun.com
