BEL AIR, Md. — A call for service met with the sound of gunshots and an officer is wounded in the process.
The shooting in Pikesville draws an immediate response from Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler.
“All too often, men and women across this country are going out trying to make a better community, just trying to do an honest day’s work and look out for our citizens and there are people there who want to do them harm, and God bless our police officers and I’m so thankful that the police officer is going to survive and hopefully be just fully recovered from this,” said Gahler.
RELATED: Officer shot in Pikesville identified; still recovering at Shock Trauma
The shooting also struck a nerve for the sheriff, rewinding the clock nearly a decade to one of the county’s darkest days.
“It took me immediately back to 2016 with the shooting where we lost our two deputies down here at the Panera---that horrible, horrible event, which was another ambush-style attack,” recalled the sheriff, “You know, Pat Daily walked in and was immediately ambushed by the suspect and it took my mind right back there.”
So often when officers respond to virtually any call, they know very little about the mental health of the subject involved.
Even when people are acting erratic, Gahler says police are more equipped to respond today than ever before and, in some instances, they can’t afford to wait for behavioral experts to take the lead.
“This call yesterday, it was as I understand it for someone exposing themself. You know. Are you going to sit back and let that individual continue to do that and encounter children, people in the public without sending a police officer, because you’re waiting for a mental health professional?” the sheriff asked rhetorically, “And then that mental health professional shows up and can’t defend themselves, what are we looking at? More victims, because we’re trying to handcuff the police.”
