Detective Christina Gilroy and Police Officer First Class Jack Austin of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office were recently awarded the 2020 Law Enforcement Award by the Maryland Retailers Association. The officers were recognized during a virtual ceremony held on October 29.
In 2019, Detective Gilroy and PFC Austin investigated an increase in thefts from local big box stores. Through their tireless efforts and with the support of retail establishments including Target, Home Depot, and Walmart, they were able to develop leads, obtain search warrants, and eventually arrest the suspects in connection with the thefts. More than $100,000 in merchandise was stolen and approximately $80,000 in merchandise was recovered from this theft scheme. Since the charging of the suspects, the thefts have greatly decreased in our area.
Detective Chrissy Gilroy, who was recently promoted to the rank of Sergeant and assumed a Supervisor position in the Patrol Division, served in the Financial Crimes Unit in the Criminal Investigations Division as a Detective. With 14 years of law enforcement experience, Chrissy has used her career to focus on solving elaborate frauds, embezzlements, continuous theft schemes, and burglaries. PFC Jack Austin, currently assigned to the Patrol Division, has served with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office for nearly 20 years. The majority of his career has been spent in the Criminal Investigations Division, where he has served in the Property Crimes Unit, Special Victims Unit, Robbery Unit, and Homicide Unit.
The Maryland Retailers Association’s Law Enforcement Awards were established in 1999 to recognize the activities, accomplishments, and performance of law enforcement officers who affect the daily business lives of Maryland merchants. For details, visit https://www.mdra.org/about/giving-back/law-enforcement-award/.
