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Garden outside Baltimore Co. precinct dedicated to fallen officer Amy Caprio

Caprio garden.jpg
Posted at 9:55 PM, Aug 29, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-29 23:33:38-04

PARKVILLE, Md (WMAR) — After years of planning and fundraising, it was time to put shovel to dirt to transform the entrance of a Baltimore County police precinct.

“It created a landscaping of the entire front of Parkville. And what it’s saying to the community is we care. We care about ourselves. We care about you,” said Debbie Sorrells, Amy’s mother.

It was all to remember her daughter, fallen Baltimore County police officer Amy Caprio, who was killed in line of duty while interrupting a burglary in progress in 2018.

“When Amy came to work every day, she put on her uniform and she put on her badge and she did this job because she wanted to. Because she wanted to go out there and make a difference and she did,” said Captain Dee Chemelli.

Sunday, the community gathered at the Parkville precinct, where Caprio worked, to dedicate the new memorial.

“When I think about the best way to honor people, I think that gardens or planting things, things that bloom things, that bring life. are just so important and so special,” said Chief Melissa Hyatt.

Parkville Eagle Scout candidate Owen Mrok planned the project with help from the community and the department.

“In this time in policing, for the community to come forward, like the scout troop to come forward and ask if there is a service project they can do here for us, that in itself was just uplifting to us as a precinct and as a profession,” said Captain Brian Edwards.

The memorial grew into a complete garden make over that includes a bronze plaque honoring Caprio on a boulder in between an engraved bench and another boulder.

It will be a place of remembrance and protection.

“The boulders serving as high speed protection to our glass lobby. It’s symbolic to us that Amy is still protecting us. She’s still standing side by side with us,” said Edwards.

The entire Parkville boy scout troop will help with ongoing maintenance, along with Amy’s mother, who has been gardening there since her death.