Complaints against Takoma Park police dropped 54% in 2021

The Takoma Park police department announced that complaints filed against officers and employees dropped 54% in 2021 compared to the year previous. 24 complaints were filed with the department in 2020; last year, that number dropped to 13. Only 3 of the complaints filed in 2021 were made by community members. The other ten were filed by employees of the department.

Internal affairs investigations were launched in response to each of the 13 complaints, TPPD Public Information Officer Catherine Plevy said in a statement. Eleven of those investigations have so far resulted in disciplinary action.

No subject of any of the 13 complaints filed was terminated, but one resigned before their investigation could be completed. Seven received a written reprimand, two were suspended from duty without pay, and one was demoted. In one case, discipline was found to be unwarranted, and a disciplinary decision is pending in the remaining case.

Plevy noted that external complaints may be filed using the police tab on the City of Takoma Park website. She reported that in 2021, officers had a total of 10,346 contacts with the public, which included calls for service, self-initiated calls, and traffic stops. The thirteen complaints represented 0.0013% of all contacts with the public in 2021.

Car stolen from Wheaton parking lot

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a stolen car in Wheaton yesterday morning, January 27, 2022. The vehicle was reported stolen from a residential parking lot in the 2200 block of Shorefield Road at 8:51 AM, according to crime data. 

Sip & Develop update in Silver Spring (Photos)

Signage has been installed at Sip & Develop, opening March 12, 2022 at 8501 Fenton Street in downtown Silver Spring. The general concept, you may recall from when I broke the story last fall, is developing film the old-fashioned way while enjoying adult beverages you bring yourself. It also serves as an event space, as well as a classroom for novice photographers, with classes available. Everything is coming together inside, and on the outside, window displays entice budding and grizzled shutterbugs alike.

DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse relocating in downtown Silver Spring

DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse has closed at 910 Ellsworth Drive at Downtown Silver Spring. The store plans to relocate across the street to the Ellsworth Place mall at 8661 Colesville Road, where it will reopen on March 24, 2022. In the meantime, DSW is directing customers to its Wheaton Plaza and The Mall at Prince George's stores.

DoorDash to bring DashMart convenience store service to Montgomery County

DashMart items awaiting orders via
virtual convenience store service

Montgomery County DoorDash users will get access to the company's DashMart convenience store service in the coming months. Much like the "ghost kitchens" that serve a variety of menus from one restaurant - or a remote kitchen that isn't in a restaurant at all - DashMart functions as a ghost convenience store. DoorDash drivers will pick up your order from a central warehouse in Rockville, including anything from milk and eggs to ice cream, soda and potato chips. DashMart also partners with local businesses who wish to sell their packaged food items, artisan wares and home goods through the delivery service.

Photo courtesy DoorDash

"Coming soon" signage installed at Papa Sherman's Breakfast Club in Silver Spring (Photos)

About a week after I broke the story about restaurateur Jason Miskiri's latest Silver Spring venture, "coming soon" signage was installed across the storefront. Papa Sherman's will apparently be a breakfast eatery, according to the signage, which adds "The Breakfast Club" to the name. 

A website URL displayed on the signage does not appear to be functioning yet, but there appears to have already been significant progress on the painting of the interior since my first report. Papa Sherman's Breakfast Club will be located at 8240 Fenton Street.

Construction finally begins at Flip'd by IHOP in Silver Spring (Photos)

Nearly a year after I broke the story of Flip'd by IHOP opening a location at Downtown Silver Spring, construction has finally begun on the interior fit-out of the restaurant. An IHOP with a smaller menu, smaller space, and an emphasis on takeout and delivery orders, the concept makes IHOP's parent company appear wise about where the money is a variant-plagued pandemic dining world. Looking forward to this opening.