Another Officer Is Suspended In Anne Arundel County: Police

Annapolis MD

13 January, 2021

11:09 PM

Description

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — The Anne Arundel County Police Department suspended one of its officers Wednesday, a press release said. This is the agency's second suspension of the week. Both officers will be paid during their absence. Police reported that the first investigation, which started Monday, is evaluating whether an officer was involved in last week's events at the U.S. Capitol. The second case is looking into a possible use of force, officers explained. An incident report noted that Police Chief Amal Awad heard word of the allegations earlier in the day. She opened an internal investigation and suspended the accused officer hours later, the write-up added. "Anne Arundel County Police Department is committed to demonstrating transparency and building trust within the Anne Arundel County Community," the agency said in the release, withholding the suspected officer's name and rank. "This investigation is a personnel matter and no further information can be released at this time." A use-of-force accusation also hit the department last year. Odenton man Daniel Jarrells filed a lawsuit against police in July of 2020. The suit alleged that an officer knelt on Jarrells' neck after he was already handcuffed. Then police chief Timothy Altomare retired the next day. Altomare said nobody pressured him into stepping down, but he didn't want to work for a department stripped of its power. "The flock needs protecting, the sheepdogs do that when the wolf shows up," Altomare wrote in a retirement letter. "I am a sheepdog and I will not apologize for it. If society takes the teeth from its sheepdogs, there is simply more sheep for the slaughter." Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman named William Lowry, a longtime cop, the interim police chief later that month. Awad eventually took over last December. Like what you're reading? Invite a friend to subscribe to free Annapolis newsletters and real-time email alerts. RELATED: Officer Suspended, Accused Of Involvement At U.S. Capitol: PoliceFirst Black Woman Nominated To Lead Anne Arundel County PolicePittman Names Interim Police Chief After Lawsuit Against Police'I Can't Even Breath': AA County Police Chief Retires After Suit Paralympic Star, Pastor, Mental Health Advocate 'Back The Blue'Police Bias, Reform: Why Annapolis Chief Wants Community Policing Have a story idea? Please contact me at [email protected] 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.