Charles County Sheriff Troy D. Berry is pleased to announce the selection of Master Corporal Charles McCue as the Sons of the American Legion (Squadron 82) Police Officer of the Year for 2016. Commander David Tatman, Adjutant Gary Shupe, and First Vice Commander Gale Willett presented an award plaque to M/Cpl. McCue during a CCSO command staff meeting on February 8. “We appreciate the work all officers do. We selected M/Cpl. McCue due to the extraordinary circumstances he faced while apprehending an armed gunman. He handled a dangerous situation quickly and bravely, possibly preventing a tragic situation,” said Adjutant Shupe.
On April 9, 2016, M/Cpl. McCue was on a special saturation detail in the Wakefield neighborhood, when he was flagged down by a citizen who stated a man was walking toward the Wakefield Recreation Center with a long gun. M/Cpl. McCue responded to the center, where he observed the man walking with an AR-15 rifle. Upon seeing M/Cpl. McCue coming toward him, the suspect ducked behind a vehicle in the parking lot. M/Cpl. McCue immediately engaged the suspect, ordering him to the ground. The suspect, who had hidden the rifle under another vehicle, gave himself up and was placed under arrest. M/Cpl. McCue searched the area and located the gun, which was loaded with 27 rounds and had been reported stolen through Fayetteville, NC.
From L to R: Adjutant Gary Shupe; Commander David Tatman, M/Cpl. McCue; Sheriff Troy Berry; and First Vice Commander Gale Willett
Further investigation revealed the suspect was attending an event at the recreation center when he was punched by another man. The suspect then left the event to retrieve the assault rifle. People inside the center saw the suspect approaching with the rifle and, fearing for their lives, quickly locked the doors to keep the suspect from entering. It was at this time that the citizen flagged down M/Cpl. McCue to report the armed suspect in the area. “The actions of M/Cpl. McCue in confronting a suspect with an assault rifle placed him in extreme danger and may have saved innocent lives,” said Willet.
“We appreciate and thank the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 82 for recognizing M/Cpl. McCue with this honor,” said Sheriff Berry. M/Cpl. McCue was also honored at a CCSO awards banquet last fall, where he received a Meritorious Service Award recognizing the actions he took in this case.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency comprised of more than 600 police, corrections and civilian personnel responsible for protecting more than 150,000 residents. The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2001 has been designated as a CALEA Gold Standard of Excellence agency since 2011. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.
Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS, texting CHARLES + the tip to CRIMES (274637) or submitting tips online at tipsubmit.com. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Learn more at the CCSO’s website.