Arrested Officer Retires After Tax Evasion Allegations: Report

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — An officer retired from the Prince George's County Police Department less than a week after he was arrested on tax evasion charges, WTOP reported last Wednesday. The agency announced the arrest on April 23.

Authorities identified the suspect as former Lt. Edward Finn. He faces five federal charges of attempting to evade or defeat taxes related to the security company that he owns, an incident report noted. Journalist Alejandro Alvarez wrote that Finn is accused of underreporting more than $1 million.

Police explained that they suspended Finn in March "on an unrelated administrative matter." Finn was with the department since 1995 and was part of its Bureau of Patrol, the write-up indicated.

"The charges against Lieutenant Finn are deeply concerning and disappointing," Interim Chief Hector Velez said in the report. "PGPD officers are expected to operate professionally and uphold the law while both on and off duty. If any officer breaks the law, they should and will be held accountable."

To learn about Finn's court case, read the full story on WTOP.

Retirements, Resignations And Hires

Velez will retire on Friday, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks informed on April 23.

Alsobrooks added that she asked for and accepted the resignation of Mark Magaw, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Public Safety and Homeland Security. The county executive advised that she will announce his temporary replacement this week.

The investigation comes weeks before the next police chief, Malik Aziz, takes over on Sunday. Aziz is a reform-minded official and a current deputy chief for 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. "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 sexually abusing a minor, attempted rape and 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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Have a story idea? Please contact me at jacob.baumgart@patch.com with any pitches, tips or questions. Follow me on Twitter @JacobBaumgart and on Facebook @JacobBaumgartJournalist to stay up-to-date with the latest Anne Arundel County and Prince George's County news.