From the Aberdeen Police Department:
On September 14, 2015, the Maryland Chiefs of Police and Maryland Sheriffs Association hosted its Annual Executive Conference at the Clarion Hotel in Ocean City, Maryland. The membership consists of a wide spectrum of law enforcement leaders, including top State, County, and Municipal Police Executives. Each opening ceremony individuals from Police and Sheriff Departments throughout the State of Maryland are recognized for accomplishments that affect the quality of life residents of the State of Maryland. This year’s award for significant contribution as an individual law enforcement officer in the field of Traffic Safety was issued to a member of the Aberdeen Police Department.
Corporal Craig “Bunk” Gentile received his award for establishing himself as the leading traffic enforcement officer in Aberdeen and one of the leading traffic enforcement officers within all of Harford County. For 2014, Gentile compiled 43 arrests, 899 State Citations, 1165 warnings, 284 State Equipment Repair Orders and 13 parking citations. Gentile’s citation total accounted for 33% of the overall department output. As part of his position as the Traffic Enforcement Officer, Gentile developed a traffic initiative that he calls “Take 30”. The Take 30 initiative calls for each patrol officer to take 30 minutes of their day to do nothing but traffic enforcement in one of several pre-determined areas where vehicle accidents occur most frequently. Gentile selects the areas by examining crash data quarterly and adjusts the list of target locations accordingly. During the 30 minutes, calls in the officer’s area are handled by another officer. The Aberdeen Police Department instituted the Take 30 starting in November of 2014 on a trial basis and the overwhelming positive results warranted that the agency adopt the initiative permanently. 25% of the Department’s citation totals for the entire year came in the 2 month trial of the initiative. Personal injury accidents also decreased by 20% citywide with personal and property damage accidents dropping to zero in one of the focal locations. The success of the Take 30 initiative in Aberdeen has prompted the Harford County Sheriff’s Office to adopt the program as well.
Corporal Gentile said this about receiving the award, “It’s humbling to be recognized by your peers for your accomplishments but very, very humbling to have police administrators from across the great state of Maryland honor your accomplishments with an award of this nature. I take traffic safety very serious, it’s not just about enforcement and writing tickets, it’s the combinations of the 3 Es, Engineering, Education, and Enforcement and bringing them all together to reduce crashes, injuries from crashes, and push toward zero fatalities on Maryland’s roadways.”
The attached photograph depicts Corporal Gentile as he displays his award with Chief Henry Trabert and other ranking members of the Aberdeen Police Department.
Wow! That is 2391 issuance’s per year. I can see an award for saving a child from a burning building, but not this. They should call it the town revenue award and call it what it is.
Any fines paid for “moving violations” go to the State of Maryland. Only parking fines stay in the municipality.
I’ve seen this guy out there busting his butt at all different times day and night. When my neighbor got t-boned he handled the call and did a real investigation and even checked on them a few days later. I talked to him a wawa a couple of times and the guy cares about his profession and the town and he slowed down the fools that blow through our stop sign.Congratulation to Gentile and the police department and thank you for the job you do.
And the Maryland Revenue Agent Of The Year Award is presented to: