Posted on 05/24/22
| News Source: WBAL TV
The police union in Baltimore County seeks to remove the police chief.
The Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 4 sent a letter Monday to County Executive Johnny Olszewski, calling on him to remove Chief Melissa Hyatt from her position.
The letter states the FOP has lost all faith and confidence in Hyatt and it lists eight reasons why it feels she should be fired. Among those reasons, the FOP writes, includes her support for a disciplinary process for internal complaints that would have eliminated due process trial boards.
The FOP also criticized the way she handled a handful of [...] harassment complaints within the executive corps.
Olszewski's office responded Monday night with a statement, saying: "I remain fully confident in Chief Hyatt and her ability to lead the Baltimore County Police Department. Under her leadership, the department has shifted to a more data-driven, community-focused model of policing. Violent crime declined by 16% last year and homicides are down more than 50% so far this year."
In response, Hyatt released a statement late Monday evening, saying: "On June 17, 2019, I was sworn in as the 14th chief of police for the Baltimore County Police Department. As a lifelong resident of our county, I fully appreciated the responsibility entrusted to me as the chief of police.