Maj. Robert J. Rappoport, who recently served as acting chief of the Rockville City Police Department, will retire on April 7 after 31 years serving the city.
Maj. Robert J. Rappoport, circa mid-1990 …
… and in 2018.
In his retirement letter to Chief Victor Brito, Rappoport thanked Brito, retired Chief Jed Stout and the city “for the numerous opportunities for professional and personal development that have been provided to me.” Rappoport served under retired Chief Terrance N. Treschuk for most of his career and said he was thankful to have had such a good mentor.
Rappoport was sworn in as an RCPD officer on March 1, 1988, and, through the years, performed a variety of duties, from instructing officers in firearms, to teaching fifth-graders in the Drug Awareness Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program, to serving as the city’s homeland security and emergency preparedness coordinator.
He was among the 1 percent of all law enforcement officers selected to attend the 10-week-long FBI National Academy. On graduation from the academy, in September 2007, he was promoted to captain and assigned as commander of the Special Operations Bureau. (The title of captain was later changed to major.) Rappoport was named acting police chief in June 2016 and served in that role until Chief Victor Brito became chief in June 2018.
“My time with RCPD has filled me with a deep sense of purpose, belonging and accomplishments that none other could offer,” he wrote.
We asked Rappoport for additional thoughts on his career with the city.
How have you seen law enforcement change over your time in service?
Today it is much more technical, with in-car mobile data terminals, in-car and body-worn camera systems, license plate readers, etc. It has also become much more professional, with better training and constantly evolving policy that make the police profession more transparent. Crimes have also changed. Back in the day, more petty crimes were committed on the street and in public. Today, crimes are being committed on the internet (or arranged through the internet) or in private, e.g., by texting or emailing to arrange a drug transaction in private, versus on the street.
How has Rockville changed?
Rockville has changed greatly, especially in the King Farm and Fallsgrove areas, with many more streets and homes. The other big change has been the vertical growth in the city, e.g., in Rockville Town Center and Town Square, with the office buildings along Interstate 270, and with homes being torn down and rebuilt – up – in almost every neighborhood.
What motivated you to remain an officer in Rockville?
I was grateful for the opportunity to work for the city and I always felt like it was a family. We had great leadership throughout city government and in the police department, and as the city grew and the police department expanded, my opportunities also expanded. I never got tired of coming to work.
What did you most enjoy about the job?
As cliché as it sounds, I enjoyed helping people and interacting with them. As a patrol officer, I often saw people at their worst, such as when they needed the police or when they were stopped for a traffic violation. It was a great feeling to know that I assisted them through their situation, or that I got a “thank you” after writing someone a citation or a warning because I treated them with respect and dignity. I really enjoyed my time as the community services officer and as a D.A.R.E. instructor. I made many great contacts in the Rockville community and remain friends with several of them to this day.
How are you planning on spending your retirement?
I’m starting a new job as the director of safety and security at the Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda.