Washington County Sheriff's Office Buys $68K In Riot Gear

HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) -- The Washington County Sheriff's Office has bought $68,000 in riot gear, saying the recent unrest in Baltimore was too close to home to ignore.

Sheriff Douglas Mullendore tells The Herald-Mail of Hagerstown that the department needs to be ready for any situation. He said there are incidents popping up all over the country.

The sheriff's office was among numerous law enforcement agencies that sent officers to Baltimore during the riots following the death in April of Freddie Gray after suffering an injury while in police custody.

The $68,000 purchase includes riot shields, gas masks, helmets and tear gas canister launchers

The purchase was made as an emergency procurement under county law.

Hagerstown, the county seat of Washington County, is about 70 miles from Baltimore.