Off-Duty Baltimore Cop Arrested After Drunken Gun-Pointing Allegations
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ)-- An off-duty Baltimore City officer was arrested outside a Towson bar after patrons accused him of acting belligerent and pointing a gun.
Matthew David Daugherty, 28, was arrested and charged with two counts of reckless endangerment.
"The BPD continues to demonstrate our commitment to accountability by holding members to the highest professional standards," BPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. "Upon being notified by county police of the incident, BPD immediately suspended Daugherty, who was off-duty at the time. Our internal affairs investigators are assisting county police in their investigation and in addition to the criminal charges, he will face internal disciplinary proceedings.
"While there is no assumption of guilt, the allegations contained in the police report are reprehensible, and we have zero tolerance for any activity which undermines the integrity of this agency or the public trust that we work so hard to earn."
At approximately 2:15 a.m. Saturday, Baltimore County police responded to the Rec Room, located in the 500-block of York Road in Towson. An employee called 911 to report a disturbance, saying an intoxicated off-duty city officer was being very belligerent and kept saying that he had a gun.
As the bar was closing, the employee took Daugherty's car keys because he appeared to be too intoxicated to drive.
Prior to officers' arrival, Daugherty left the bar through the back door. Responding officers found him in a parking lot at Delaware and Pennsylvania avenues.
Two male victims then approached officers and told them that Daugherty had pointed a gun at them.
Officers located a Glock 22 handgun in a holster on the suspect, and placed him under arrest. The firearm was his departmentally-issued handgun.
Daugherty posted $75,000 bail and has been released.
