Meet
the new Thurmont Chief of Police
By Masha Persanova
Contributing Writer
THURMONT,
Md. – Major Gregory Eyler, 49, will begin work as the
new Thurmont Chief of Police on Dec. 1.
Eyler
was born and raised in Thurmont. He has been married to his
high school sweetheart, Brenda, for 28 years. They have raised
two children, Jeffrey, 24, and Meaghan, 19. Jeffrey is a deputy
sheriff with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office and
Meaghan is in her second year of pre-law at Franklin &
Marshall College in Lancaster, Pa. Brenda has managed a law
firm in Frederick for the last 28 years.
After
graduating from Catoctin High School, Eyler attended Millersville
State College. Right after college he worked for four years
for the Thurmont Water and Sewer Department. In 1979, after
having applied to the Maryland State Police, one of the town
commissioners asked him if he was interested in becoming a
Thurmont police officer. Eyler gladly agreed, as it was his
life-long dream to become a law enforcement officer. He was
hired and sent to the Montgomery County Police Training Academy
for six months of training.
In late1980
Eyler began working for the Frederick County Sheriff’s
Office. In 1994 he graduated from the Federal Bureau of Investigation
National Academy in Quantico, Va. During Eyler’s 25
years in the sheriff’s office, he rose from Deputy of
the Civil Division to the rank of major and Commander of the
Administrative Services Division.
Eyler
said he always hoped that someday the chief of police position
would become available and he might again have the honor and
privilege of serving the citizens of Thurmont and working
with Thurmont officers.
“After
receiving all the training I have with the Frederick County
Sheriff’s Office, to be coming back and serving here
in Thurmont is like a dream come true. In many ways, I feel
as though my law enforcement career is coming full circle.
I believe all the training I have had can bring a lot to Thurmont,”
the chief said.
Eyler’s
training is extensive and so are his awards and accomplishments.
He is especially proud of receiving outstanding performance
recognition for writing the Homeland Security Terrorists Plan
for the sheriff’s office. In 1990 Eyler was also the
first ever to receive the sheriff’s office highest commendation
for exemplary performance and dedication to duty.
Hoping
to work as Thurmont Chief of Police until he retires, Eyler
laughed as he said, “I’d like to stay forever
as a chief of police and work forever.”
The
new chief has many ideas for Thurmont but doesn’t want
to reveal them all at once. But he did tell The Dispatch
about one – he is going to try to establish community
policing in Thurmont.
Community
policing involves partnership between residents of a town
and its police officers. They work together as a team, solving
crimes together. One of Eyler’s main goals as police
chief is to foster mutual respect between Thurmont citizens
and the police.
“Citizens
are our eyes and ears; they know everything and the police
can achieve more if we all work together. You still have your
traditional policing, when you are writing tickets and answering
calls for service, but when it comes to solving crimes it’s
productive to cooperate with the citizens. It’s a national
movement right now. It’s an important partnership,”
Eyler said.
