Crime & Safety

New 1st District Commander Wants to Reduce Thefts, Motivate Officers

Capt. James A. Fenner Jr. took the helm of the 1st District in August.

About 29 years ago, Capt. James A. Fenner Jr. began working for the Montgomery County Police Department. As a University of Maryland graduate, fresh out of college, he was ready to tackle an area "large enough to get a good experience but small enough to make an impact on people you knew."

In August, Fenner took another big step in his law enforcement career and became the commander of the 1st District of Montgomery County Police Department.

His history in law enforcement includes a diverse background working in many departments — his most recent job was the director of the Personnel Division at the department.

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Fenner's desire to be commander, coupled with his flexibility and understanding of many positions made him a prime candidate for the position when Capt. Darryl McSwain left the position to head the Special Operations Division in July, said Office Services Coordinator for the Montgomery County Police Tammy Chaney.

"[Fenner] is focused and quick to react to issues in the community and the staff," Chaney said. "It will be a good transition for him to be commander because he will continue with some of the same goals he has always had and remain responsive and approachable."

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Even though Fenner has been commander for fewer than two months, he has many concerns he plans to address in the 1st District, which includes Potomac, Rockville and Darnestown. Traffic enforcement will receive more attention with the use of automated traffic enforcement such as speed cameras, Fenner said.

He plans to work with the 1st District officers to target retail fraud, thefts from cars and burglaries. Also, Fenner wants officers to leave a lasting impression on residents, letting them know the officers are here to help and respond to their concerns, he said.

"When officers come in I want them to look forward to coming to work, doing a good job and treating people as if they were your family if you stop them," Fenner said.

"We may only have to deal with 1 percent of people who we will have to arrest, and the other 99 percent of people are in need of some service. And with each contact, we need to make it as positive as possible."

Good relationships between police officers and the community can increase communication and ultimately help police solve crimes, Fenner said. Residents of the 1st District have been helpful when it comes to cooperating with police and offering information — a trend Fenner said he hopes will continue.

In the coming months, Fenner will focus on putting a cap on thefts and outlining expectations for the more than 100 employees he oversees. Also, he wants to readjust how officers respond to calls and come up with more efficient ways to deploy when the station moves to Darnestown in the next year, he said.

"The district commander influences what's going on in the community and also what's happening with your personnel," Fenner said. "The key is to be able to enhance the resources you have; you have to give every tool and resource to officers to let them be able to go out and do their job."

Fenner will remain visible in the 1st District and active in law enforcement in the communities, said Community Services Officer Michael Prather, who has known Fenner for about 18 years.

"He's a good fit for the station and for the citizens of the 1st District," Prather said. "He cares a lot about the communities and will do his best to meet the needs of the residents."


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