Two officers with the Annapolis Police Department were suspended Friday by Chief Ed Jackson for bringing “discredit” to the agency after reporting “waste and mismanagement” to Mayor Gavin Buckley earlier this year, according to the police union.
The United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400, which has represented city police officers since 1980, described the unnamed officers as whistleblowers bringing their concerns first to their superior and then to a higher authority.
“They were union stewards talking about their working conditions … and they cannot be retaliated against for that,” said Jonathan Williams, the union’s communications director.
In a phone interview Monday, Williams declined to describe the alleged “waste and mismanagement” at the center of the suspension, citing the ongoing proceedings.
An investigation by the Baltimore Police Department is currently underway, according to the union, which described the Baltimore department’s involvement as a “clear conflict of interest.” Jackson, and several members of the department including Deputy Chief Maj. Stan Brandford, Captain Lamar Howard and fiscal services Director Ronda McCoy, are veterans of the Baltimore agency.
Williams called for another agency to complete the investigation into the officers.
Jackson was on vacation Monday andwas not available for comment.
Brandford declined to comment on the matter but said there was an open investigation.
According to the police union, a group of Annapolis Police officers met with Annapolis City Manager Mike Malinoff and Human Resources Manager Patricia Hopkins on March 13 to report “waste and mismanagement” at the department. A follow-up conference with Buckley took place May 3.
Details of the second meeting were not provided in the union’s statement Monday and Buckley’s office declined to comment on any specifics.
According to the union, Jackson suspended two of the officers who met with Buckley on Friday. Jackson “alleged that during a meeting on May 3, 2024 with Mayor Gavin Buckley, [the officers] brought discredit upon the Annapolis Police Department, Chief Jackson, Major Branford [sic] and other members of the agency with [their] comments for specific complaints,” the union stated.
A copy of the suspension notice was not provided to the Capital Gazette on Monday and Brandford declined to comment on the reason for the suspension.
The Annapolis Police Department’s suspension policy allows commanding officers and supervisors to suspend members when their actions, “in the judgment of the superior officer,” conflict with “the interests and welfare” of the department.
And while the police union and the city government ratified a two-year collective bargaining agreement in June, it was unclear Tuesday afternoon whether the new contract provides direction for members to report complaints.
The city government does have a reporting process for fraud, waste and abuse through the council’s Audit Committee. Its chair, Ward 8 Alderman Ross Arnett, said Tuesday that he has not received a complaint regarding the Annapolis Police Department and that in all of his time with the committee, he has only seen two fraud complaints come through. Both were proved unfounded, he said.
In its statement, however, the union cited a portion of Maryland law that states a police officer may not be discharged, disciplined or otherwise discriminated against for disclosing information that proves mismanagement or a waste of government resources.
It is unclear what information the officers presented to Buckley or other members of the Annapolis City government.
“Integrity in policing is critically important to maintaining trust,” Buckley said Monday. “I have spoken with Chief Jackson and I understand an independent process has been initiated into potential internal policy violations. I look forward to seeing that report.”
Several members of the Annapolis City Council said Monday’s announcement was the first they had heard about the suspensions or the alleged mismanagement.
At the end of the council meeting Monday night, Ward 6 Alderman DaJuan Gay described the situation as “disturbing” and asked if the council would hold a closed session to discuss it. Buckley, telling Gay they could not speak about the personnel matter publicly, said that would “be a good idea.”
Ward 2 Alderwoman Karma O’Neill, who serves on the city’s Public Safety Committee alongside Gay and its chair, Alderwoman Rhonda Pindell Charles of Ward 3, wrote in an email that she had asked to meet with Buckley to discuss the issue, but said she was unsure when the meeting would take place.
Charles and Gay did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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