MENU
SEARCHMore than 50 troopers from across Maryland gathered to find out who among them had won the competitions for 2004 “Trooper of the Year” and “Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.”
More than 50 troopers from across Maryland gathered to find out who among them had won the competitions for “Trooper of the Year” and “Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year.”
Maryland Department of State Police Secretary Colonel Thomas E. Hutchins addressed the group of distinguished participants.
“You have set yourselves apart—not in a way to seek attention or fame. Your dedicated efforts have distinguished you as the finest examples of fairness, integrity, and selfless service the Maryland State Police has to offer,” said Col. Hutchins. “You have shown, by example, what it takes to be the very best.”
Hutchins announced Trooper First Class Christopher M. Conner, 30, as the state’s Trooper of the Year. Conner has been a member of the Department for seven years.
The “Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year” for 2004 is Corporal David L. Ruel, 30, an eight-year veteran of the Maryland State Police.
TFC Conner is currently assigned to the Pro-Active Criminal Enforcement (PACE) team, a unit comprised of selected personnel who were chosen to identify potential terrorists, drug couriers, and other organized criminals who traverse Maryland’s interstates. Conner has been a leader on the team since its inception.
During 2004, Conner made 32 criminal apprehensions, with the majority involving felony drug seizures. He participated in removing from the streets more than five pounds of pure heroin; 51 grams of crack cocaine; 10 pounds of powdered cocaine; and 17 pounds of marijuana destined for Baltimore and the surrounding metropolitan area.
In the inaugural “Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year” competition, Cpl Ruel was named the winner. He has since been promoted to sergeant and assigned to the Annapolis Barrack. Even with his administrative and supervisory responsibilities, Ruel was among the top performers in criminal and traffic enforcement.
During 2004, Ruel issued 466 traffic citations, 601 warnings, and made 14 DUI arrests. He also made 31 criminal apprehensions and removed 11 offenders from the street for narcotics violations.
For more information visit www.mdsp.org.
Brinc’s new Guardian delivers 24/7 operations, Starlink connectivity, and a robotic charging nest that can swap batteries and change payload configurations without human intervention.
Read More →
The Colorado State Patrol, after analyzing its 2025 struck-by incidents, identified one area for improvement: using traffic cones to provide advanced warning before the cruiser's location. Here is the agency’s final data.
Read More →
Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →Streamlight has recognized the 144th Marketing Group as its 2025 Sales Rep Agency of the Year Award for the Law Enforcement market.
Read More →
The mission of the Jorge Pastore Foundation is to support first responders through essential training, stronger community engagement, and mental wellness resources, all accessible and funded through donations, sponsorships, and foundation-led fundraising. It works closely with Team Wendy in the discussions about developing better protective gear for officers.
Read More →
Patrol work hasn’t changed—but the expectations on officers have. See how one police chief helped officers get the right information at the right time, improve patrol visibility, and strengthen trust without adding complexity or surveillance. This real-world story shows how patrol-driven technology can make the job safer, smarter, and more effective—starting on day one.
Read More →
What if Level I retention didn’t require a full duty rig? Safariland’s Solis delivers trusted ALS security in a streamlined OWB platform built for administrative and plainclothes professionals who need protection without the bulk.
Read More →
Real-world scenarios show that a tracking canine can detect and follow a human track several hours after it was made.
Read More →
In this video, we get a look at the latest law enforcement boots from Garmont Tactical, both for men and women. Kyle Ferdyn, sales manager, showcases four of the latest boots.
Read More →
With the commercial availability of Avon Protection’s EXOSKIN-S2, users now have increased options for their protective suit requirements across the spectrum of CBRN threat environments.
Read More →