K 9

THE HOWARD County Police Department celebrated its 50th anniversary by holding Law Enforcement Day at Columbia's lakefront Saturday. The event included K-9 and tactical demonstrations, an antique police vehicle show and crime prevention information. "I'm very proud of our agency and very proud to be able to show it off to our citizens," said Police Chief Wayne Livesay. "We're here to say this is who we are and this is what we do to serve you." Officer Doug Catherman, a member of the SWAT team, provided a close look at some equipment used by police: high-caliber rifles, gas masks, ballistic shields and an armored personnel carrier.

Pfc. Timothy Wiley enjoys the limelight about as much as his canine partner likes to be left behind on a police call, so he looked at his feet and smiled shyly while he talked yesterday about his selection as Howard County Police Officer of the Year for 2001. "This is not my kind of thing, but I'm very honored and appreciative," Wiley said in an interview. The K-9 unit officer was given the department's top honor at a ceremony last night during which, to his relief, he did not have to give an acceptance speech.

Pfc. Timothy C. Wiley will be recognized as Howard County Police Officer of the Year at Community Awards Night, sponsored by the Howard County Chamber of Commerce, on April 24. Pfc. Wiley and his K-9 partner, Gasto, will share the award. They will also be honored with a Gold Medal Award for bravery. A Silver Medal Award will be presented to Sgt. Page Christis, Pfc. Daniel W. Besseck and Officer John L. Iannone. A Bronze Medal Award will go to Pfc. Michael A. Thorn Sr. Herb Michael will be recognized as Auxiliary Officer of the Year.

Howard County Sheriff Chuck Cave has announced a donation of $5,000 to the Sheriff's K-9 Unit by Milk-Bone and Giant Food. A ceremony was held yesterday at Giant Food, 4715 Dorsey Hall Drive, Ellicott City. The money will be used to build a new kennel and a run area in the county government complex in Ellicott City for Bullet, the sheriff's dog for explosives cases. The dog and his handler, Deputy Don Chase, respond to calls about suspicious packages and suspected bombs. Bullet and Chase completed 16 weeks of training at the Baltimore County K9 Training Center to receive Maryland bomb-detection certification, and they continue to train for 16 hours a month.

The robbery of a Hampstead gift store Tuesday evening is the sixth such crime in the Route 30 corridor in recent weeks and may have been committed by the same man, Hampstead police said yesterday. The man entered the Holy Cow shop in the 1300 block of Main St. about 6 p.m. Tuesday and walked around briefly before starting a conversation and asking for change, said Capt. Jay Gribbin. The robber then ordered the clerk to lie on the floor and grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash from the open register, police said.

Howard County police officers looked for a wounded pit bull yesterday that remained loose after a skirmish with a Laurel police dog.Laurel K-9 Officer James R. Brooks was going home from work early Friday morning when two stray pit bulls attacked his dog on Livery Lane, according to Howard County police, who are investigating the case.Brooks tried to intervene, but the pit bulls were too aggressive.The officer fired at the dogs, wounding one. The dogs scurried off before they could be caught, police said.

ROCKVILLE -- Police dogs, already armed to the teeth, have been given more protection for patrolling the mean streets of Montgomery County: bulletproof vests.Montgomery is the first large jurisdiction in Maryland to wrap its K-9 dogs in bullet-stopping Kevlar.The 21 vests, sleek and black, sport big white block letters on the flanks that spell POLICE. (The nameplates are removable, perhaps for undercover work.)They were modeled yesterday in the unforgiving noon sun by members of the K-9 units from the county police, Montgomery County Park Police and Takoma Park Police.

A woman missing from her Harford County home for nearly 16 hours was found last night in a heavily wooded area near her residence and was being treated for minor injuries at a county hospital, said a spokesman for the Sheriff's Department.Sgt. Edward Hopkins, the spokesman, said a bloodhound and its handler, searching dense woods near the residence of Nancy E. Ponicki, 41, of the 3600 block of Bay Road in Street, found her about 10: 45 p.m., lying in underbrush about 300 yards from her home.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The education of Sidney Ponson continues. Yesterday's lesson plan included Bullpen Preservation 101 and a crash course in pitching through discomfort. Ponson furthered his reputation as a prodigy.The Aruban rookie (5-6) made his 12th major-league start a painful experience for the Kansas City Royals. In his longest major-league appearance, Ponson controlled the Royals despite allowing 12 base runners in seven innings. His reward was a 9-2 win, moving the Orioles to 18-5 since the All-Star break, and an even deeper impression on an organization that considers him untouchable.

The Hampstead Police Department is about $3,000 short of the money it needs to establish a K-9 unit, officials said Friday.Police Chief R. Kenneth Meekins said the department has applied for a state grant that would cover 75 percent of the expenses associated with establishing a K-9 unit.The state grant would cover $28,722 of the $38,296 it would cost for the dog, training, veterinary care and a four-wheel-drive vehicle.To qualify for the state funding, the police department has to raise the remaining $9,574.