A small town on Maryland’s Eastern Shore has suspended its entire police force pending the outcome of an investigation by state prosecutors, a decision that leaves residents shocked, skeptical and worried. There is.
Ridgeley’s unusually harsh crackdown on law enforcement suggests that even some of the country’s most rural communities are feeling the effects of the national reckoning on policing that unfolded after the killing of George Floyd.
With the Ridgely Police Department temporarily out of commission, other public safety agencies have agreed to fill the void.
But residents of this historic town are concerned about response times if they need assistance. And the reason why the police station was closed remains completely in the dark.
Laura Klein, a longtime Ridgely resident, said she is frustrated by the lack of transparency from town leaders and law enforcement.
“What’s very concerning is that they haven’t communicated with us in an honest and open way,” Klein said. “Please treat us with respect. We are adults, sensible, rational adults who deserve to know the truth.”
In a statement posted on the town government’s website last week, officials said the Town of Ridgely’s three-person commission has been “suspended with pay for the entire Ridgeley Police Department” and that the state attorney’s office handling the case has been suspended. He said an investigation was underway. Public misconduct, election fraud, violations of ethics laws, etc.
But David Crist, director of the Ridgely operation, declined to provide the AP with even basic information about the suspensions, including the number of members. The department has six employees, according to its website.
“We were blindsided,” said Holly Justice, an esthetician who runs a spa in Ridgely. “It makes us question the integrity of the people we are supposed to protect and serve.”
Justice, whose shop is across the street from the police station, says he often exchanges greetings with police officers.
She said the recent developments felt like a betrayal because she considered them part of the community.
“Like I knew those guys,” she said. “It just makes you wonder.”
While the suspension was a shock to residents, it is not the first time Ridgeley has faced questions about police practices.
The department was in the news a few years ago after its chief was implicated in the 2018 death of Anton Black in neighboring Greensboro.
Black died after officers handcuffed and shackled him and held him down for more than five minutes.
His family filed a wrongful death lawsuit and received a $5 million settlement from three Eastern Shore towns, including Ridgely, where the off-duty police officer helped take the 19-year-old into custody.
Current Chief Jeff Eckrich spent most of his career with the Prince George’s County Police Department outside Washington, D.C., including 12 years as a homicide detective before being assigned to the Ridgely Police Department.
Ridgely officials said they are currently coordinating with the nearby Caroline County Sheriff’s Office to respond to calls for service within town limits.
Some residents feared slower response times and a reduced law enforcement presence could make them targets for would-be criminals.
Caroline County Sheriff Donald Baker tried to allay their concerns, saying his office is well equipped to respond to additional calls. He said Maryland State Police would also assist.
Crime in the county has been notoriously low for decades.
Four homicides have been reported in Caroline County, which includes Ridgely, since 2000, according to federal crime data. Violent crime also peaked in Ridgely in 2010, with a total of 41 incidents reported.
Often, Ridgeley Police Officers work on minor public safety issues.
The department’s Facebook page is full of posts about officers attending community events and supporting local businesses.
Other posts include information about lost keys, credit cards, bicycles and other items recovered by officers around the city.
With a population of approximately 1,600 people, Ridgely boasts rich small-town charm and a proud history rooted in the expansion of American railroads in the late 1800s.
Outside the town’s old train station, an antique caboose is on display, restored and refurbished in 2017.
City Hall and Police Department offices are located in a historic building that once served as Caroline County’s only hospital.
The town has received little local news coverage in recent years, with the focus mostly on the annual winter festival that draws thousands of tourists.
But years ago, two years before Floyd’s death sparked nationwide protests against racism and police brutality, the deadly arrest of a Black man put an unwanted spotlight on majority-white communities. , presented a scene that has become tragically familiar. It was about a young black man taking his last breath. during a shocking encounter with police.
In 2021, the Maryland General Assembly passed a police accountability package that included a bill to expand public access to police disciplinary records due to questions surrounding past misconduct allegations against the officer involved in Black’s death. did.
The police chief who hired the officer in Greensboro later pleaded guilty to criminal mischief for failing to include information on his police certification application.
Law enforcement agencies across the country have struggled in recent years to recruit new members, especially in rural areas.
In areas with low crime and minimal oversight, small town departments often have little oversight, a situation made worse by the decline of local newspapers.
A police officer hired last year at Ridgely faced misconduct allegations in Delaware before joining the department, court records show. That officer resigned in January. Another Ridgely police officer was hired despite his arrest record in Delaware.
Speculation has fueled rumors in recent days, but residents say the suspension of the entire department suggests the problem is bigger than one officer.
“It just doesn’t add up,” said Jenny Wu, whose family has owned a general store in downtown Ridgeley since 1983. We just want to know how and why. ”
