Second 911 Worker Arrested

Their motto is “Caring for the community – one call at a time”. Well, for the second time in a week, police are not happy with exactly how a 911 worker is caring for her community.

Sources tell STATter 911 that a second employee of the Public Safety Communications Center is under arrest on drug charges. Eight days ago, Marsha Denise Sams was picked up at her home in East Riverdale. Sams was one of 3 people arrested at the house on May 17th and charged with possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine.

At the time, officials said there was a second 911 worker in the home. That woman was placed on administrative leave. Yesterday, an arrest warrant was issued for her. Sources tell STATter 911 that she has now been arrested.

911 workers have contacted STATter 911 to point out that random drug testing used to be the policy at the Prince George’s County 911 Center. That changed when it became a separate agency and no longer under the Prince George’s County Police Department. Officials say there now is an effort to try and bring back drug testing.

UPDATE 2:30 p.m. :

In a press release this afternoon, Prince George’s County Public Safety Director Vernon Herron identified Rena Sims as the second Public Safety Communications Center employee arrested. Sims has been on the job less than 2 years and, like Marsha Sams, will remain suspended without pay during the investigation. From the press release:

“Although I am very disturbed about the arrest of two of our dispatchers for narcotics violations, I am confident that these arrests are isolated incidents,” Herron said. “Our call takers and dispatchers perform an admirable job under sometimes stressful situations and it is unfortunate that two of our dispatchers have ended up on the wrong side of the law.”