The Week’s Best of Police and Fire Reporting

From the latest crime convictions to car break-ins, police stories unfolded in Maryland. Keep your finger on the pulse of all that’s happening in and around your community with Patch’s fire and police beat.


A video recorder at Oakland Mills Village Center’s Second Chance Saloon caught on camera an assault and robbery at a Columbia bar. To see the video or join the discussion on why no onlookers stepped in, visit Columbia Patch.


UMBC has nearly recovered from a week-long power crisis, with electricity restored to most of the campus by Thursday night. To make sure you aren’t in the dark, be sure to check out Arbutus Patch.


Responders from three counties took fewer than 30 minutes to contain a mobile home fire, which remained in one trailer and resulted in no injuries.Savage-Guilford Patch has the story.


In an effort to educate others, more than 200 motorists buckled up over the weekend in remembrance of Sarah Marie Stebbins, who died in a vehicle collision and had forgotten to wear her seat belt. Sadly, a group of teenagers in Elkridge also were in a crash and wore no seatbelts, resulting in this story: . Crash statistics from the highway administration can be found on Elkridge Patch.


In spite of record high temperatures, more than 200 law enforcement workers joined Wednesday to carry the Special Olympics "Flame of Hope" through Carroll County in the annual Maryland Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. Don’t miss the red-hot video posted on Westminster Patch.