“The foundation has been a great partner on a variety of efforts to build relationships with the community... the recent golf clinic was a great way to interact with young people whose activities have been limited by COVID."
-- Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones
Five years ago, Tom Manger, the former Chief of Police of Montgomery County, asked Marvin Address to take over the presidency of the Montgomery County Police Foundation (MCPF). The police chief knew at the time that if Address accepted, he would mean business. His professional career ranged from air traffic controller in the US Air Force to working in the insurance business for close to 50 years. He had also assumed leadership roles in numerous community boards including Suburban Hospital and Strathmore Theater.
Address agreed and now laughs that he originally was supposed to serve a three-year term. That time has morphed into almost six years with no successor in sight.
A group of local businessmen started the Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3), in 1995 with the purpose of strengthening the relationship between the police and the community and helping to subsidize certain programs and activities not in the police budget. Although the group raised some money and sustained it, it looked like a good time to revitalize the committee. In short order Address recruited a diverse group of people to the board whom he knew would want to work and would be held accountable.
Once in office Address and his board, whose members are almost entirely new since he started, made the Foundation more professional by putting in systems, such requiring requisitions for requests for money over $500. He started holding entire board meetings five times a year with the executive committee meeting once a month.
They kept many of the great programs the Foundation supported in the past, such as an annual MCPD Autism/IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities) Night Out. Yet Address decided on a more proactive role for the board, a change of focus by initiating new programs and projects and then taking the idea to the police for their support, instead of just responding to their requests for help.
On October 1st the Foundation held its first awards dinner with Melissa Mollet, the News4 traffic reporter, emceeing. The successful event raised $50,000 for the Foundation which enabled the funding of a scholarship for two police officers for advanced training.
One program that Address’s team started is taking care of the force’s retired K9s. The dog’s handler will take the dog home with him but the MCPF pays for the pet’s food. “It’s the right thing to do and no one has ever done so until now,” Address notes.
Another project Address and his board initiated was to organize a group of speakers who lecture at the Police Academy to go to retirement homes and give talks on cyber bank fraud.
A second innovation was “Lunch with The Chief.” Once a month four businessmen and women were invited to lunch for a confidential, open communication time with the Chief of Police.
In addition, two special programs were recently added that are especially meaningful to both the police and members of the Foundation. The first event took place on Aug.15th at the Soccer Complex in Gaithersburg. Assisted by Captain Michael Prather, who identified children who would benefit from a half-day golf clinic with a pro, the day was a big success. Chick-fil-A catered and the total cost was $550. “Out of ten kids who participate in a golf clinic, if three go back home and report what a great time they had working with the police, then the kids can change the perception of the police. This where it’s got to start,” Address says.
Another unique project started by the Foundation focused on combating the area’s opioid crisis. Address and MCPF Captain David McBain designed a 26-foot trailer made to simulate a bedroom and a bathroom where a person living there could hide heroine and other substances along with paraphernalia. With the Foundation’s financial assistance of $12,000 and an identical grant from Montgomery County Public Schools, the Community Opioid Prevention Education --COPE -- Trailer was unveiled this February. They took the trailer to five different recreation centers. One tour, at the Bauer Drive Community Recreation Center in Rockville, consisted of at least 80 people going through. According to Captain McBain the visitors, who had to be at least 18, “were absolutely floored and mystified by it.” Because of covid-19 the tours have ceased for now but the goal is to visit recreation centers throughout the county and invite members of PTAs to see the COPE trailer. Volunteers will be trained to conduct the tours, which can last seven to ten minutes.
Facing current restrictions, i.e. the pandemic and the uncertain financial situation in the country, the work of the Foundation is temporarily on hold. However, Address is hopeful that he and the Foundation will resume its programs so they can continue to have a positive impact in the community.