ANNAPOLIS, Md.
(WJZ)—A top commander inside the Anne Arundel County Police Department calls on
federal officials to investigate allegations connected to the scandal involving
the county executive.
Derek Valcourt has more on what appears to be a growing revolt against the county
executive and the police chief.
First rank and
file officers, now even one of the top leaders in the department voices his
complaints over the scandal.
This comes just
weeks after two Anne Arundel County police unions issued a vote of no
confidence in indicted county executive John Leopold and Police Chief James
Teare.
The department’s
second-in-command speaks publicly for the first time, supporting the rank and
file.
“I believe those votes of no confidence are a cry out for
help,” said Emerson Davis.
And he wants that help to come from the U.S. Department
of Justice in a bombshell announcement to the County Council Monday night.
Deputy Police Chief Davis says he’s called on justice
officials to investigate allegations of misconduct and wrongdoing within the
department. Those allegations stem from the county executive’s criminal indictment
last month.
Leopold is accused of making police officers assigned to
protect him use the state’s criminal database to dig up dirt on his enemies,
and making those officers drive him to sexual encounters in public parking
lots.
“Who knew what and who is going to be held accountable
for it? This is the biggest black eye we’ve had in the department in the 35
years I’ve been here,” Davis said.
“Oh it gives a great deal of credence to what we’ve been
saying,” said O’Brien Atkinson, FOP President.
Union president O’Brien Atkinson applauds the deputy
chief for speaking out after Teare refused to answer questions about the
department’s involvement in the scandal.
“I do not want to break the law,” Teare said.
Teare has ignored calls to resign and can only be fired
by the county executive.
“The real bad guy in all of this [is] County Executive
John Leopold. All of this focuses on the chief of police and as long as this
focus remains on the chief, the county executive is not going to get rid of
him,” Atkinson said.
In two weeks the County Council will vote on a resolution
urging the county executive to suspend Teare, but that resolution has no
binding power.
The case against Leopold heads to court later this year.
The Department of Justice tells WJZ it is
currently reviewing the deputy chief’s request for an investigation.
Had enough? Write to the Speaker of the House, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 and demand federal
hearings into the police problem in America.
Demand mandatory body cameras for cops, one strike rule on abuse, and a
permanent DOJ office on Police
Misconduct.