What's Happening in Frederick, MD…

Frederick County police and fire personnel now have access to tactical emergency kits that it is hoped will be a great asset in their work. The next stage is to figure out a policy for using them.

The kits allow law enforcement personnel to give immediate medical aid to people who have been injured at the scene of a violent crime. They are derived from the military type used to treat the wounded on the battlefield until trained medical personnel arrive. The kits are necessary because it is often police who arrive at the crime scene first, and find themselves trying to help people before the area is secure.

Today, Frederick police, a few sheriffs’ deputies, and members of the Brunswick police force carry these kits; but other agencies have made up their own. Policies for use of the kits vary from department to department; some agencies in the area don’t have these kits at all, but may get them soon. Maryland State Police, for instance, carry first-aid kits, but not the tactical equipment.

There is no apparent agreement on what is necessary for all kits and how they should be used. The agencies are working together now to consider an overall plan for Frederick County. The goal is to create one single strategy that will work anywhere in the county.

County officials could work with a flyer printing company to create a mailer for residents, explaining how the new kits will be used to help keep them safe.