PRINCE FREDERICK, MD - The start of 2009 has brought a change in command at the Maryland State Police (MSP) Barrack in Prince Frederick (Barrack U). With the retirement of Lt. Homer R. Rich, MSP officials chose a new commander. The MSP’s choice was Calvert County resident Lt. Randolph “Randy� Stephens, a 21-year veteran of the agency.

Stephens had previously been the commander of the La Plata Barrack, a position he has served since August 2004.

“I’m just getting settled,� said Stephens, who describes himself as “a Type A personality. I am very organized. I like to keep things going. I don’t wait to get anything done. When it comes on my desk, I get it done. A lot of people kid me about how clean my desk is. I like to get things done.�

Stephens admitted that his immediate challenge will be proving to the community that he is a strong successor to Rich, who held the post for almost seven years. “He’s a good man, a good commander, a good father, he’s very meticulous in whatever he does,� said Stephens of Rich. “He’s going to be a tough act to follow.�

Stephens admitted that the fact he is a Calvert resident is “probably why I was sent over here.�

Stephens, who is married and the father of two school-aged children, moved to Huntingtown in 2005. “We had to get away from the hustle and bustle of Charles County,� he said. “I like the quality of life over here.�

Stephens stated he did not actively lobby for the Barrack U command. “When you get to this level you just let the chips fall where they may,� he said. “You may get a call and they may ask ‘are you interested in this?’ You could say yea or nay and they are still going to do what they feel is best. I’m happy to be here. Now I can help my community. Now I can make a difference here, where my kids are growing up.�

Of the crew he now commands, Stephens said, “I’ve known these guys for many years. I’ve worked with a lot of them. I know that these guys work hard.�

Stephens expects the MSP and Calvert County Sheriff’s Office to have a good working relationship. “The guys here already have a good working relationship,� he said. “Our combined Criminal Investigative Team is something that’s going to work. The same goes with the new Southern Maryland Information Center. That’s really helped out. Crime doesn’t have boundaries.�

The new barrack commander also indicated he would carry on with Rich’s strong support for the Neighborhood Watch program in Calvert. The program gets residents of communities involved in reporting suspicious occurrences in their neighborhood in an effort to deter or thwart crime. “It’s going to help out,� he said. “You’ve got hundreds and hundreds of more eyes to see stuff. We [law enforcement] can’t be everywhere, so all those extra eyes help.�

Stephens grew up in the Ft. Washington area of Prince George’s County. He graduated from Friendly High School and then earned an associate’s degree in business management from Prince George’s Community College. He had long decided he wanted a career in law enforcement. After earning his degree, he applied and was accepted into the MSP academy.

“When I was growing up, there were a couple of things I looked at,� Stephens recalled. “It seemed the troopers had a sharper look, a professional atmosphere and a quasi-military atmosphere.� He also admitted he did not wish to join his home county’s police agency.

His career in the MSP has taken Stephens to assignments in Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s counties. He also worked undercover doing drug enforcement work in the Southern Maryland area but Charles County is where he has spent most of his career, over 15 years. In addition to La Plata, Stephens also did stints at the old Waldorf Barrack.

When asked to recall his most vivid memory of service in La Plata, Stephens quickly mentions the devastating tornado that occurred April 28, 2002.

“It was one of the toughest times,� he said. “I think I worked 38 hours straight, no sleep, running here and there. That was a mess. We were concerned about loss of life, loss of property, search, rescue, every little aspect of it. We had a few casualties that were storm-related that couldn’t be helped but there was no looting, there was no stealing, we held contractors at bay who were going to come in and rip off people. It was a good cooperative effort with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. We set up posts and locked down areas. I think we did a good job.�

While he is an admitted Type A personality, Stephens is not all work and no play. The new commander plays softball, enjoys skiing, hunting, fishing and especially boating.

Stephens also has a great love for the Chevrolet Corvette. He calls his 1990 Corvette “my toy but my dream car is a 1965 Corvette.�