In the middle of the night, when most people are fast asleep, Pfc. Jason Eskra is at the peak of his work day.

He drives along Route 1 and surrounding roads through Elkridge and Jessup checking for signs of drug dealing and prostitution, investigating tips from residents, and responding to calls.

Due to his consistently strong performance and volume of police work, Eskra was singled out as the Howard County's Officer of the Year April 15, said Sgt. Mike Yetter, Eskra's former supervisor.

"Rather than highlight a case or a month here and there it's really his performance over the year that makes him stand out," Yetter said. "He's always patrolling his area, working his areas, looking for criminal activity."

Eskra, 27, of Elkridge, responded to 1,000 calls from dispatchers in 2007 and launched 120 investigations, Yetter said, adding that his beat in Elkridge and parts of Jessup "is generally one of the busiest areas of calls for service in the county."

Job suits Eskra's personality

Eskra, who joined the Howard County Police Department in 2004, said he enjoys police work because he's able to be out and about in the community and because the job suits his personality.

Having served two years on the Elkridge and Jessup night shift beat, Eskra said he likes the variety of calls to which he responds in the wee hours, including drug busts and business break-ins that would not usually occur in daylight.

"It's probably one of the busiest areas in the county as far as drugs and prostitution. It's non-stop from 8:30 p.m. to 8:30 a.m.," he said. "You're busy the whole time. There's a more different array of calls than during the day shift," he said.

His job involves patrolling trailer parks, motels and other areas in Elkridge and Jessup, developing contacts with residents and following leads to bust drug dealers, he said.

"My area is really the crack, cocaine and marijuana and other kinds of drugs," he said. "Heroin's getting big again, unfortunately."

Developing leads through members of the community who inform him about where the drug-dealing takes place is a key to effective policing, he said.

"We depend on them as much as they depend on us," Eskra said of community members.

While Eskra patrols the area alone, he is part of a team of four in the vicinity who back each other up, he said.

"The people I'm with are really a tight-knit group so wherever you go you usually have another car with you," he said.

Eskra has not decided on any future career moves, although he has considered becoming a police educator, a drill instructor or joining a K-9 unit.

E-mail Mike Santa Rita at msantarita@patuxent.com.

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