Western District

Baltimore City* ROBBERY: Northern District -- A resident of the 900 block of W. University Parkway was about to enter his home Thursday night when he was struck on the back of the head by one of two men, one with a handgun, who robbed him of his wallet, cash, credit cards and watch, all valued at nearly $450.* THEFTS FROM AUTOS: Northern District -- At least seven vehicles were broken into in the 1700 block of Union Ave. Thursday. Taken was money, two hunting knives, two electric drills, clothing, roller skates and a cellular phone, all valued at more than $600.

Two men were arrested in Crofton on Friday in connection to at least one carjacking incident in the area. An officer on patrol in Crofton noticed two vehicles he suspected were involved in stealing motorcycles, so he continued to monitor their movements. According to police, Clinton resident Kevin M. Wilkins, 25, got out of the white minivan he was driving on Forksbridge Court in Gambrills and fled from the scene on foot. Darrel Lamont King, Jr., 29, of Cheverly, who was in a separate vehicle, was immediately detained, while Wilkins turned himself in as police were canvassing the area.

One man was killed and two were injured in a shootout that involved police in West Baltimore on Monday night, though details on what led to the shooting were still being determined Tuesday morning. Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts spoke near the scene of the shooting, which happened about 10 p.m. in the 2700 block of Edmondson Avenue, a busy commercial corridor. He said police on foot patrol came upon multiple men who were inside a car firing weapons in a "particular direction" and police then opened fire on them.

One man was killed and two were injured in a shootout that involved police in West Baltimore on Monday night, though details on what led to the shooting were still being determined Tuesday morning. Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts spoke near the scene of the shooting, which happened about 10 p.m. in the 2700 block of Edmondson Avenue, a busy commercial corridor. He said police on foot patrol came upon multiple men who were inside a car firing weapons in a "particular direction" and police then opened fire on them.

Baltimore's police commissioner promoted 40 officers at a ceremony at City Hall Plaza last night and named a new commander for the Western District, his first change of a station house leader since he was confirmed in May. Lt. Paula T. Johnson, a 15-year veteran, was elevated to the rank of major; she joins 25 other majors and is the only female African-American to hold that post in the 3,200-member department. She will replace Maj. Kenneth Blackwell, a 31-year veteran who has led the Western District since June 1998.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Edward T. Norris said last night that he has identified the officer who mailed an anonymous letter of complaint to his home and that the officer has been transferred to a desk job. The 48-year-old veteran Western District sergeant, whose name was not released, faces administrative misconduct charges for using a police computer to get the commissioner's address, Norris said. "Sending the letter to my home was clearly done to harass and annoy," Norris said.

Baltimore police officials were growing concerned about a recent spike in burglaries in the Western District -- especially after they realized 40 fugitives lived in the district who were wanted on burglary charges. "We want to get some of these guys off the streets," said Maj. Antonio Williams, commander of the Western District, which has seen a 31 percent increase in burglaries over last year. So Williams and Capt. Gary D'Addario formed a warrant task force of six officers in an effort to arrest burglary suspects and some of the more than 2,600 fugitives who are wanted for various crimes and are believed to be living in the district, Williams said.

Seven-baker-twenty-four unit turns at Mosher and rumbles past that stretch of Appleton Street where Gene Cassidy took two in the head for the company, the first one stealing his eyesight, the second lodging in his brain beyond the skill of a surgeon's knife. Cassidy was 27 then, not even four years on the job, strong and lucky and hard-headed Irish enough that he refused to do the obvious and inevitable thing. He did not die. At University Hospital that night, the other patrol officers and detectives were told it was certain, that their friend would not make it. But Cassidy breathes still, and Appleton and Mosher looks much as it did in October 1987, when Cassidy tumbled out of his radio car to jack up a man wanted on an assault warrant.

Seventeen people were arrested overnight on drug possession and handgun charges as city police from Western District's Drug Enforcement Unit conducted "Operation Zebra."Police said 15 people were charged with drug possession and two others were charged with handgun violations.Those arrested were being held at the Western District today awaiting bail hearings.The exact locations of the raids were not released, but they were said to be throughout the district, which includes areas between Fremont Avenue and Poplar Grove Street.

BALTIMORE CITYTHEFT: Western District -- Someone entered a 1988 Jeep Cherokee while it was parked in the 2000 block of N. Monroe St. Saturday and stole a set of jumper cables and $2.ROBBERY: Western District -- A deliveryman for Murray's fuel and oil in the 1300 block of Bloomingdale Road was standing at the back of his truck in the 2000 block of Winchester St. Sunday afternoon when two men, one armed with a handgun, ordered him to give up his money....

A 29-year-old woman was shot in Baltimore's Penrose/Fayette Street Outreach neighborhood at 1 a.m., police said. The woman, who has not been identified, was standing in the 2100 block of Vine St. and told officers that she had head gunfire and then realized she had been shot, according to police. She was taken by a medic to a local hospital. The shooting capped an unusually torrid and violent week that left eight people wounded by gunfire overnight on Wednesday. Friday saw a woman, who police have yet to identifiy, killed by gunshots and two other people wounded.

The wife of a man found stabbed in an Odenton home last year has been arrested in his murder, police said. Donna Mills Wood, 38, turned herself in at the Western District police station at approximately 4 p.m. Thursday. She was charged with the fatal stabbing of Jerome Vorden Wood, 45, inside a residence on the 100 block of Pine Cove Avenue Nov. 6, 2012. Police were called to the scene for a reported suicide and found Jerome Wood with injuries to his upper body. He died that day, and investigators later determined that he had been stabbed and ruled his death a homicide.

With a series of shootings occuring in the Northern District in close proximity, police leaders asked Maj. Sabrina Tapp-Harper whether she had a handle on the problem. It was not unlike what she and other district commanders face weekly at police strategy meetings, called Comstat. But for Thursday night's meeting, the public for the first time was also looking on, in-person and over computer screens. Tapp-Harper expressed confidence that her district was on top of it, noting that a known gang member had been released from prison Wednesday night and officers had already paid him a visit.

Acting Police Commissioner Anthony E. Barksdale ordered a shake-up of the command in the department's Southwest District after a spate of shootings that left five dead and several wounded in the past week. Maj. Eric Russell and Deputy Maj. Justin Reynolds were reassigned, and the deputy major of the Western District, James Handley, will take over as commander of the Southwest. His deputy will be Lt. Sean Miller, who had been assigned to the agency's violent crimes impact section, officials said.

March 11, 2012 Seven-baker-twenty-four unit turns at Mosher and rumbles past that stretch of Appleton Street where Gene Cassidy took two in the head for the company, the first one stealing his eyesight, the second lodging in his brain beyond the skill of a surgeon's knife. Cassidy was 27 then, not even four years on the job, strong and lucky and hard-headed Irish enough that he refused to do the obvious and inevitable thing. He did not die. At University Hospital that night, the other patrol officers and detectives were told it was certain, that their friend would not make it. But Cassidy breathes still, and Appleton and Mosher looks much as it did in October 1987, when Cassidy tumbled out of his radio car to jack up a man wanted on an assault warrant.

Local police departments are participating in the National Take Back Initiative this weekend by providing an opportunity for residents to turn in expired or unwanted prescriptive substances and other medications. At the take-back day, controlled, non-controlled and over-the-counter substances will all be collected, and donors will remain anonymous; no requests for identification will be made. Participants should remove any identifying information that might be found on a prescription label on a container.

Northern District 939 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park 410-222-6135 Eastern District 3700 Mountain Road, Pasadena 410-222-6145 Western District 8273 Telegraph Road, Odenton 410-222-6155 Southern District 2972 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater 410-222-1961 Headquarters 8495 Veterans Highway, Millersville 21108

When John McAndrew Sr. joined the city Police Department, the 10 tallest buildings that now stand in Baltimore had not been constructed, and most of the people who now work on the force had not been born. The 72-year-old patrol officer retired Wednesday, joined at a ceremony by dozens of co-workers, friends and family members, ending 50 years of service. McAndrew began his service on June 1, 1961. He has served as an officer in the Western District since Aug. 24 of that year, a district that has historically been among the city's most dangerous.