UPDATE: Anne Arundel Police Chief, Fire Chief Ousted

Updated at 2:40 p.m.

Anne Arundel County’s top two public safety officials are on their way out, they say because the newly elected County Executive, Steve Schuh, wants to make a change.

Police Chief Kevin Davis – hired less than two years ago to reform a department whose previous two chiefs departed with questions surrounding their conduct – has said he’s resigning.

Davis said in a statement Monday night that Schuh, elected Nov. 4, wants his administration to head in a different direction. Davis’ resignation is effective Dec. 1.

“As a resident of this county, I wish the new administration and police chief nothing but the best in the years to come,” Davis said in his statement.

Brought in to help stabilize a police department rocked by allegations its two previous chiefs had known of, but ignored, misconduct by former County Executive John Leopold, Davis was hired in July 2013, reports the Capital-Gazette.

Former Chief Larry Tolliver used a gay slur and was accused of retaliating against officers who testified against Leopold during that executive’s misconduct trial, the newspaper reports. Among other charges, Leopold directed on-duty police officers to do his campaign work like distribute signs and collect donations.

Tolliver was appointed by Leopold after former police Chief James Teare Sr. retired in July of 2012, according to the Capital-Gazette. Teare retired after the state prosecutor’s office ended a criminal probe into his actions. He was accused in Leopold’s indictment of knowing about Leopold’s misconduct and taking “no effective action.”

On the Anne Arundel Police Department’s Facebook page Tuesday, residents thanked Davis for his service and asked for an explanation from Schuh.

Among his accomplishments Davis listed an increasingly diverse police department that better reflects the community it serves; increased pay for officers; a stronger relationship with the union representing officers; and new patrol cars and a new police academy building.

Fire Chief Also Out

Hours after Davis learned he was not being asked to stay by the new county executive, Anne Arundel County Fire Chief Michael E. Cox Jr. was told he would also be replaced.

In a statement Cox said he was notified Tuesday morning by Schuh that he would not be retained by the next administration.

Cox said he “took the reins 18 months ago during a turbulent time for our department with poor labor relations, lack of fiscal prudence, poor response times, areas with unacceptable ISO ratings, and a lack of diversity in the hiring process. During my tenure we have accomplished many things.”

Noting that he is a lifelong resident of Anne Arundel County, Cox said he will continue to support the fire department.

Accomplishments that the fire chief noted include faster response times to 911 call; increased staffing at three fire stations to reduce insurance rates for residents; purchased more ambulances to cover the county; and updated fire codes.

“These accomplishments were made possible by bringing people together, putting our differences aside, and working in a collaborative effort to achieve the greater good for the citizens we serve.”

Find Cox’s full list of accomplishments on the department’s Facebook page.

Statement from Police Chief Kevin Davis:

“Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible,” once proclaimed Maryland-born singer/song writer Frank Zappa. The Anne Arundel County Police Department, an agency that has always enjoyed a stellar regional reputation, found itself struggling in recent years when political misdeeds contaminated its waters.

When I accepted the position as Police Chief nearly a year and one-half ago, I knew the past had to quickly find its way to our rear view mirror. Positive changes with a focus on the future, then, occupied my administration’s agenda.

I am stepping down as police chief effective December 1 with great pride in the progress of our agency. The incoming administration has informed me they are heading in a different direction, and I respect the County Executive Elect’s decision to form his own leadership team. As a resident of this county, I wish the new administration and police chief nothing but the best in the years to come.

They have my full support for a seamless transition.

Our mission statement, once a convoluted 200 plus word narrative that no one could recite or even describe, has been modified to reflect a statement of action: To fight and drive down all crimes while working in partnership with our community. This has served us well as we have reclaimed regional, even national, prominence that reflects who we are as one of the most important jurisdictions in the nation.

Once County Executive Laura Neuman’s Commission on Excellence and former Baltimore Police Commissioner Fred Bealefeld’s task force provided the framework for change, we partnered with Johns Hopkins University to dive into internal issues that identified additional avenues for improvements.

Changes in our structure and philosophy afforded the police department a vision that produced the creation of the Chief’s Citizens Advisory Council, Chief’s Business Leaders Advisory Council, Chief’s Fit for Duty Challenge, Lifeline 100 Century Ride, Crisis Intervention Team, Operation HOPE (Heroin Overdose Prevention Eradication), Narcan, ultrasonic dog deterrents, Social Media Sleuths, Wanted Wednesdays, Police Applicant Mentoring Program, Metal Theft Squad, Parole & Probation VPI (Violence Prevention Initiative) call-ins, in-car camera pilot program, Take 30 for Traffic, Take 30 for Talking, additional Citizens Police Academy classes, reestablished state and federal task force partnerships, and the Patrol Officer of the Month recognition program.

My relationship with the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 70 has been productive. I met monthly with President O’Brien Atkinson, and respect his important role on our agency.

Thanks to support from County Executive Neuman, Chief Administrative Officer Karen Cook and the County Council, our authorized strength of 710 represents an all-time high for our force. The current academy class, our largest ever, includes 20% African Americans, 10% Latinos, and 25% females. The long overdue diversity needle is finally moving in a progressive direction, and will go a long way towards eventually reflecting the diversity of our community. This administration has moved the pay scale in a long overdue positive direction, over 200 new police cars are on the way, a new facility has been erected at our dilapidated police academy, and the long-dormant police cadet program is now funded.

We have dramatically enhanced transparency that earned us a Top 10 national social media ranking, reduced crime, reduced fatal crashes, partnered with the bicycle community, achieved a 95% homicide closure rate, and realized dramatic strides in community policing.

The future of the Anne Arundel County Police Department is bright. The men and women of this great organization are dedicated, professional, and determined to protect our community. After all, anything is possible with community support; without it, nothing is possible.

Kevin Davis

»Photo: Police Chief Kevin Davis, left, and Fire Chief Michael Cox Jr., right