Franklin Precinct Captain Reassigned Following DUI Citation

UPDATE, June 18, 2013: The charges against McElwee have been dropped.

Previously reported:

(Updated 5:07 p.m.)—Franklin police precinct Capt. Matthew McElwee was transferred following Carroll County citations for driving under the influence, Baltimore County police announced Monday.

McElwee was assigned to administrative functions in the department's operations bureau.

According to the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, McElwee, a Hanover resident, was one of two arrests Saturday night during a sobriety checkpoint in the 2200 block of Hanover Pike in Hampstead.

According to the sheriff's office, McElwee, 43, was arrested on suspicion of alcohol impairment and released with citations after he refused to submit to a blood alcohol concentration test.

He declined to comment, and referred questions to the police's communications office.

McElwee was cited by the Carroll County Sheriff's Office for driving while intoxicated and driving under the influence. Baltimore County police said McElwee was driving his personal vehicle and not carrying a weapon.

Police said McElwee will be assigned to the operations bureau until the case against him concludes and police complete an internal investigation. Assistant precinct commander Lt. Stephen Doarnberger will serve as acting precinct captain.

McElwee took over the Franklin precinct in Jan. 2010, and has seen robberies and other crime statistics decrease under his leadership. He has priotized community outreach, attending community meetings and sending other officers to organizations like the Reisterstown Improvement Association, Reisterstown-Owings Mills-Glyndon Coordinating Council, Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Committee.

"He just was always involved in all parts of outreach, whether it was the COP (Citizens on Patrol) program or the Reisterstown Main Street project, he was really right there with us with ideas and suggestions," said Baltimore County Councilwoman Vicki Almond. "I feel sad because I think he really did an excellent job with his community outreach and he was very accessible."

Stay with Patch for updates.

Owings Mills-Reisterstown Patch Editor Marc Shapiro contributed to this report.