New Police Chief Announced For Howard County

Columbia MD

29 November, 2021

12:59 PM

Description

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The first person of Asian descent to lead the Howard County Police Department has been appointed police chief by Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. Gregory J. Der currently serves as chief deputy in the Maryland State Fire Marshal's office. Der's appointment takes effect Jan. 1, 2022. Current Police Chief Lisa Myers, who announced her retirement earlier this month, will remain in the position until Dec. 31, 2021. "Here in Howard County, our police department is one of the best in the nation, and we have a reputation as one of the safest communities in the nation. The continued success of our police department is vital to the wellbeing of our community," Ball said. "I've known Gregory for nearly 15 years and he has stood out as a thoughtful, determined, collaborative leader who will guide our police department into the future. In these challenging times for our police officers, when crimes from human trafficking to online scams are becoming more complex, Greg's leadership traits and his ability to build strong bonds with the community make him the right person for the job. I very much look forward to working closely with Chief Der and continue ensuring Howard County is the safest community in our nation for all." Der said during a news conference Monday that he was "humbled and honored" to be selected by Ball to become the next police chief of Howard County. "I could not be happier to come home to the Howard County Police Department," Der said. "Having graduated from Mt. Hebron High School and worked in the Howard County Police Department for 19 years, I am personally invested in the success of our agency and I know what our citizens rightfully expect of us." As the chief deputy, Maryland State Fire Marshal, Der has primary oversight of all sworn and civilian staff, supervisors and managers stationed at six regional offices throughout Maryland. He is responsible for the progression and resolution of statewide fire, arson and explosive investigations, coordinating with other local, state and federal resources. He also oversees preparation of the agency's annual budget for legislative approval. Der began his career in 1997 as a narcotics detective and patrol officer with the Easton, Md., police department before joining the Howard County Police Department in 1999. Der served as a school resource officer, hostage negotiator, property crimes detective and fire and explosives investigator. He retired in August 2017. Der received many honors during his more than 19 years of service with the department, including five unit citations, two certificates of appreciation, 11 commendation certificates, an investigative award and numerous memorandums of recognition and letters of appreciation. Der graduated from Mt. Hebron High School in 1989. He obtained his associates of art degree in criminal justice from Carroll Community College in 2009, and his bachelor of science degree in organizational leadership from Johns Hopkins University in 2019.