Montgomery County Police Picks Interim To Replace Chief Manger

BETHESDA, MD — Montgomery County Police has a new top cop.

Assistant Chief Russell E. Hamill III — a former commander of the MCPD's Bethesda district — has been named acting chief of police. He assumed his new role on March 31 and will be running the department until officials find someone to permanently replace police Chief Tom Manger.

Manger, who retired from the force on Friday, is the second longest serving police chief in the 97-year history of the Montgomery County Police Department, according to officials. Following his 42-year career as a police officer, Manger said he plans to lead the Major Cities Chiefs Association and expand its legislative agenda in the nation's capital.

Hamill, a lifelong Montgomery County resident, has been a member of the Montgomery County Police Department since 1986. Before joining the department, he was a Montgomery County Deputy Sheriff.

At the beginning of his career, Hamill was a patrol officer assigned to the Lincoln Park Community Policing Team, the department's first effort at community policing. He then was a detective in the Drug Investigation Unit.

In November of 2001, Hamill was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and assigned as the deputy commander of the 1st District. In 2004, he was promoted to the rank of captain and became the director of the Criminal Investigation Division. Two years later, Hamill graduated from the FBI National Academy, Session 227.

On Sept. 2, 2011, Hamill was nominated by Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett as assistant chief of police.