STATE POLICE NAME 2009 TROOPER AND NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE YEAR

(Timonium, MD) – Colonel Terrence B. Sheridan today announced the 2009 Maryland State Police Trooper of the Year and Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year and presented those awards to a veteran state trooper in the Criminal Investigation Division and a nationally recognized Sergeant who commands one of the largest State Police canine and bloodhound units in the United States.

The 2009 Trooper of the Year is Trooper First Class Gary L. Bachtell, of the Criminal Investigation Division. The 2009 Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year is Sergeant Eric E. Fogle. Each was chosen from 55 candidates who were nominated as the trooper or non-commissioned officer of the year at their barracks or divisions throughout the state police.

“As we continue to make great strides in public safety throughout Maryland, the dedication and commitment these troopers exhibit on a daily basis distinguishes them as Maryland’s Finest,” Governor Martin O’Malley said. “On behalf of all the citizens of this great state, I congratulate and thank them for their hard work and service.”

“The men and women we honor today have done their very best during the past year to provide outstanding law enforcement services to the people of Maryland,” State Police Superintendent Colonel Terrence B. Sheridan said. “Lives were saved, families were reunited, criminals were identified and brought to justice and highways were safer to travel on because dedicated troopers of the Maryland State Police were on the job, working in coordination with our allied public safety partners to serve and protect our citizens.”

After being appointed to the Maryland State Police Academy in 1985, TFC Gary Bachtell graduated number one in his class. He served in Washington and Baltimore Counties and then transferred to the Frederick Barrack where he was assigned to the criminal section as an investigator. He graduated with honors from the Maryland Institute of Criminal Justice Polygraph School and was reassigned to the Maryland State Police Polygraph Unit in March of 1998.

Specializing as both the Maryland State Police Polygraph Coordinator and as an active polygrapher in 2009, TFC Bachtell created a post conviction sex offender testing program to implement a new Maryland law requiring sex offenders on parole and probation to take periodic polygraph tests. The Division of Parole and Probation adopted TFC Bachtell’s proposal and together with the Maryland State Police, a memo of understanding was signed and a successful testing program has been implemented.

TFC Bachtell’s ability as an investigator led to confessions in nearly 100 percent of the criminal polygraph exams he conducted in 2009, including an arson-murder case in which two children perished. Due to the results of his success, police officers in both the Maryland State Police as well as other agencies frequently seek out his expertise.

His supervisor, Sgt. Philip Criddle, said, “…it is inspiring and reassuring to be witness to an individual who realizes the importance of that which is required of him and unselfishly devotes the energy and time above that which is expected in order to maintain the integrity and reputation of this Department.”

Sergeant Eric Fogle began his career with the State Police as a cadet in 1987. After spending two years in the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division, he entered the State Police 100th Academy Class and graduated in March, 1990. In 1993, Sgt. Fogle entered the Canine Unit with a narcotics detection dog and in 1994, he acquired his second canine, a bloodhound named “Angel”. Sgt. Fogle and Angel were credited with approximately 40 missing person finds, many of which were lifesaving. Before retiring Angel, Sgt. Fogle obtained his second bloodhound, “Christopher”.

Serving as the Search and Rescue Coordinator for Maryland, Sgt. Fogle has operated some of the largest searches in this region. While working a two year cold case of a missing adult, he coordinated a large scale operation that included numerous investigators, volunteer rescue groups and allied agencies. Following the planning efforts, the operation began early one morning and by noon, the missing person’s remains had been located in a wooded area.

As a well known bloodhound trailing expert, Sgt. Fogle is sought after by police agencies nationwide for his proficiency in bloodhound trailing. He has trained and certified more than 60 bloodhounds on the East Coast. In 1996, Sgt. Fogle developed the search and rescue protocol for the Maryland State Police Patrol Manual and has shared the protocol with countless allied law enforcement agencies.

Today, Sgt. Fogle fulfills multiple roles as the Department’s Canine Unit Commander, as well as a K-9 handler and an accomplished search manager. As a certified instructor for the National Police Bloodhound Association, Sgt. Fogle has led his team to resolve operations involving missing persons, abducted children, downed aircraft and fleeing fugitives. Recently, he managed the search operations for an abducted 11-year old child that resulted in the recovery of critical evidence for the successful prosecution of her murder. In 2009, he was presented with the Hal Foss Award, the most prestigious award presented by the National Search and Rescue Association for his successful work in law enforcement.

In a comment regarding his 2009 nomination, Captain Ronald B. Lewis, Commander of the Special Operations Division said, “Sgt. Fogle consistently demonstrated his unique ability to ‘raise the standard’ for all other law enforcement officers in the field of police canine operations, search and rescue and search management.”