Officer Indicted, Charged With Assaulting Teenager: Police

SUITLAND, MD — Authorities said a grand jury indicted a Prince George's County police officer on April 27. Officials identified the officer as Cpl. Darryl Wormuth.

Police accused Wormuth of assaulting a teenager on Oct. 20, 2020 after he took the suspect into custody in Suitland. An incident report noted that Wormuth faces charges of:

• First-degree assault
• Second-degree assault
• Misconduct in office

The write-up mentioned that fellow officers on the scene alerted their commanders who then contacted the Internal Affairs Division. The Prince George's County Police Department advised that it suspended Wormuth on Oct. 26, 2020.

The department then brought the case to Prince George's County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy for potential criminal charges, the press release added. The grand jury's decision officially issued those charges, police clarified.

The PGPD explained that it revoked Wormuth's pay after the indictment, but he is still only suspended. Wormuth has been with the department since 2007 and is in its Bureau of Patrol, the report specified.

The accused officer still awaits a trial. He is innocent unless proven guilty.

"I support and commend the officers who stepped forward to report this incident," Interim Chief Hector Velez said in the release. "I encourage and expect all officers who witness any potential wrongdoing to do the same."

Retirements And Hires

Velez will retire on Friday, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks informed on April 23. In that write-up, Alsobrooks also announced the arrest of Lt. Edward Finn in a separate case.

Both investigations came 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 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 tax evasion, 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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8. Moms Condemn Racism, Leave International Club In Protest
9. Prince George's Cop Arrested, Charged With Attempted Rape
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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.