4 More Officers Suspended In Prince George's: Report

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — The Prince George's County Police Department suspended four more officers, NBC Washington reported on May 3. This development came weeks after the agency announced the arrest of another officer, Lt. Edward Finn, on tax evasion charges.

Journalist Tracee Wilkins noted that the unidentified officers all worked for Finn in the department's special assignment unit. NBC added that police are investigating whether the officers double-dipped, or committed a crime wherein staffers collect pay from the agency and another employer for the same job.

A press release mentioned that Finn's charges stem from a security company that he owns. It is not clear whether the suspended officers also worked for that business, Wilkins clarified.

"The Prince George’s County Police Department has suspended four officers for violation of secondary employment policies," the PGPD told NBC. "The four officers have been suspended with pay. This is an internal investigation, a personnel matter, and under Maryland law, discussions of personnel matters are prohibited. As is customary, the Prince George’s County Police Department is working with the state’s attorney’s office to determine if the actions of these officers are also criminal."

To learn more about the accusations against the suspended officers, read NBC's full story.

Retirements And Hires

Interim Chief Hector Velez retired last Friday. County Executive Angela Alsobrooks broke the news on April 23 when she announced Finn's arrest.

The investigations came weeks before the next police chief, Malik Aziz, took over on Sunday. Aziz is a reform-minded official and a former deputy chief from the Dallas Police Department in Texas.

"I share the disappointment and anger of many in our community regarding yet another negative incident within our Department," Alsobrooks said in a press release after Finn's arrest. "Unfortunately, the issues that we are confronting are systemic issues that did not start under my Administration, but I am going to do everything in my power to ensure that they end under my watch."

Controversies

Aziz will take over a squad that has seen several controversies over the past 15 months. Former Chief Hank Stawinski resigned last June after several Black and Brown officers filed a lawsuit against the department. Their suit alleged that the agency had for years discriminated against officers from racial minorities.

That litigation came months after police accused an officer of fatally shooting a man in handcuffs. The killing eventually led to the indictment of Cpl. Michael Owen and a $20 million settlement with the family of the victim, William Howard Green.

Within the last year, officers have also faced charges of

• Assaulting a teenager
• Evading taxes
• Sexually abusing a minor
• Attempting rape
• Sharing confidential information with a sex worker

"I want to thank the many men and women of our Police Department who honorably serve our community each day," Alsobrooks continued. "The actions of officers like Lieutenant Finn do not reflect their desire to serve our residents and continue working hard to build trust between our Department and the community."

Police Reform

Alsobrooks hired Aziz about two months after she adopted sweeping police reform. The new policies will make more police records public, increase officer oversight and emphasize community engagement.

The county executive's overhaul started in July of 2020, when she created the Police Reform Work Group. The task force responded to protesters calling for social justice after George Floyd, a Black man, died while a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck last May.

By December, the reform committee recommended 50 modifications to the police department. Alsobrooks adopted 35 as written, amended 11 and struck four.

"We have the fresh start we need to continue moving forward with making our Department a model for the nation," Alsobrooks concluded.

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