UMBPD Braves the Cold for a Good Cause
鈥淎re you all looking forward to this 38-degree water?鈥� someone shouted from high above the crowd. Hundreds of police officers from across Maryland cheered in response. Among the officers were nine members of the 91大神, Baltimore Police Department (UMBPD), huddled in the cold, waiting for the exact moment when they could brave the icy waters of the Chesapeake Bay for this year鈥檚 Polar Bear Plunge.
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Chief Alice Cary (right) and other members of the 91大神, Baltimore Police Department plunge into the frigid waters of the Chesapeake Bay.
For more than a dozen years, UMBPD has participated in the plunge, which raises money for . The department鈥檚 team, UMB Cool, raised nearly $3,000 this year.
鈥淭he plunge is a great way to raise money for a wonderful cause,鈥� says UMB Police Chief Alice K. Cary, MS. This is her second year running into the bay for charity. 鈥淚 love seeing the camaraderie among our officers and our partner law enforcement agencies. It gives us the chance to connect and catch up with officers from across Maryland.鈥�
Joining the team for the first time were UMBPD comfort K-9s Lexi and Archie. The dogs didn鈥檛 go into the water but attracted many admirers from the crowd, including Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan. The pups looked on from the beach as Cary, Deputy Chief Thomas Leone, Lt. Matthew Johnson, Cpl. Shantell Brown, Pfc. Fritzner Edouazin, Pfc. Joseph Fair, Sr., public information officer Carin Morrell, and police communications officers Erika Malone and Amanda Greene ran into the chilly water.
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鈥淥nce you hit the water, the adrenaline takes over. You can barely feel the cold,鈥� Johnson says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to be able to help the Special Olympics while representing the UMB community.鈥�
This was Johnson鈥檚 11th year organizing the UMB Cool team for UMBPD. Johnson leads UMBPD鈥檚 Community Outreach and Support Team (COAST), which works to provide opportunities and foster positive relationships between the UMB community and its neighbors. In December 2019, COAST was awarded the Governor鈥檚 Award for Outstanding Proactive Crime Prevention Programs in Maryland. The Polar Bear Plunge is just one of many outreach events and activities UMBPD participates in throughout the year, including National Night Out, the Community Engagement Academy, and the Police Athletic/Activities League (PAL) in coordination with UMB鈥檚 Community Engagement Center.
The three-day Polar Bear Plunge involves separate events for police, schools, corporations, and the general public. The Police Plunge, which took place Friday, Jan. 24, is open to first responders. The Maryland State Police is one of the major sponsors of the Plunge.
鈥淥ur officers work in such a serious job,鈥� Cary says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to take some time to come together as a team, laugh, and have fun in support of a great cause. I can鈥檛 wait to do it again, but we鈥檒l just cross our fingers for warmer waters next year.鈥�
