UPPER MARLBORO, Md. –
316th Wing Defenders and county police gathered at the Prince George's County Police Department Headquarters for a Military Appreciation Month event to honor military members stationed at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, May 25.
“The great relationship we have with JBA and the representatives here today go unmatched,” said Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County chief of police. Aziz spoke about the importance of collaboration between the two organizations and the contributions of the base.
“It means everything to us at Prince George’s County Police Department to recognize the men and women at JBA for their contribution, not just to Prince George’s County, but to the region of DMV, to the nation, and for the installation we have right in our backyard.”
Col. Todd E. Randolph, 316th Wing and JB Andrews installation commander, accepted a gift presented by the department on behalf of the Air Force. He was joined by the 316th wing command chief, Chief Master Sgt. Jackson A. Helzer, 316th Security Forces Group commander, Col. Michael Morales and other Security Forces members.
As the event came to a close, Randolph accepted a gift from the police department on behalf of all military members at JBA, including coins that represented each branch of the Department of Defense, signifying the joint environment of JBA.
“I started my career at Andrews over 34 years ago as an Airman, and to come back and be a part of this community again as the installation commander, I feel that I’m a testament to the partnership we’ve had over the decades," said Randolph, while addressing the crowd of police officers. "I want to say thank you for your service and being such a strength for this community."
“Thank you for what you do to keep our neighborhoods safe and putting your lives on the line every single day for all of us. I think that’s part of our bond that we have because we’re all serving and putting our lives on the line for a greater cause,” Randolph said.