I find myself in a very peculiar situation, having to explain and defend myself, because I was asked to do a job by then-Chief of Police Robert P. Russell. I was asked in 1992 to write and develop what is known as the Anne Arundel County Police Department's Youth Activities Program. I didn't ask for this assignment, but I accepted it, and I did what I thought was best in writing and developing this program for the children and residents of Freetown and Meade Village.
I wasn't furnished any county funds to initiate this program, so I asked help from my good friend, former state Sen. Michael Wagner, and thus we formed Take Back Our Streets, Inc., a non-profit organization, that solely raises money for the Youth Activities Program. TBOS has raised more than $100,000 in various donations for the residents of Freetown and Meade Village. Also, a baseball team in the Brooklyn Park area of Anne Arundel County was sponsored by TBOS.
Now, all at once, I have been transferred from the program that I wrote and developed. I was told I was being transferred because of a reorganization within the Anne Arundel County Police Department. I was also informed I was being transferred to the patrol division in Southern District, which is approximately 25 miles from my home, even though I live two minutes from the Northern District station.
I . . . have never spoken to Acting Chief Robert Beck, the person who transferred me, according to the newspapers. I was notified of my transfer on a Thursday and it was effective the following Monday.
Recently, I was contacted by a staff writer for The Sun, who informed me that Acting Chief Beck had made several allegations against me. . . . In The Capital, I read several more allegations which apparently, according to the acting chief, were the basis for my transfer, even though Acting Chief Beck has never informed me of any problems with my job performance or of any existing problems within the Youth Activities Program. So I find myself answering his allegations the same way Acting Chief Beck informed me of them, through the media.
* First allegation -- that I hurt the program as much as I helped it. I have never hurt this program. I have worked, along with many others, long, tiring hours raising money for the program, setting up food banks, clothing banks, collection of school supplies, Christmas presents for children, a tutorial program, which received an "Excellence in Education Award." There are many other programs, which I won't go into.
* Second allegation -- taking enormous amounts of credit for the program, and not sharing credit with other officers in the program. If the acting chief would have attended the many functions for the Youth Program and Take Back Our Streets, he would have heard the many speeches I have given on this program. The acting chief would have heard me state over and over that the success of this program belongs to the entire police department, business leaders, community residents and political leaders.
News articles have been written on Officer Kyle Starghill, Officer Joe Hatcher and many other officers involved in the program. Chief, check your public information office for copies of these articles. Also, the three other officers who work in the program with me are also my business partners, so I don't think there was any problem about who gets what credit. . . . * Third allegation -- that I controlled the funds for the program, and then the insinuation that I bought the loyalty of the residents. This upsets me the most, that the character of the residents has been impugned. Take your shots at me, but not the residents. I do not control the funds for this programs, we have an executive board that makes the decisions on how the money is disbursed.
I won't apologize to anyone for buying eyeglasses, tennis shoes, school pictures or sometimes paying rent for some of the residents. Most of the money came out of my pocket, and the pockets of the other officers in the program, including Officer Hatcher.
* Fourth allegation -- using the program as a springboard to something greater. If the acting chief thinks that being elected to the state Democratic Central Committee is "greater things," he should realize this is not a paid position. Also, Freetown is not even in my elected district, so the Freetown voters couldn't have voted for me if they wanted to.
I also find it very repugnant that personnel matters are being discussed in the media. In my 25 years in this department. I have never witnessed this. I also find it very sad that the acting chief is trying to place one officer against another. This is very prevalent in his constant remarks and comparisons of Officer Joe Hatcher vs. Cpl. Gordon March.
Maybe Acting Chief Beck should have asked Officer Hatcher if he has ever purchased anything for the children of Freetown or if his name ever appeared in the media in connection with this program, just so Officer Hatcher is not ridiculed later. The last time I heard anyone speak of Take Back Our Streets, or the Youth Activities Program, it was only with the highest respect and admiration.
Gordon W. March Jr.
Linthicum
So many of us are asking why did Cpl. Gordon March get transferred to street patrol after doing such a wonderful job here at Freetown for the Take Back Our Streets program?
We just don't understand. And we know it wasn't just the efforts of Cpl. Gordon March, but of many dedicated and fine officers. But when something is running as well as this program, why change? Why does not credit go to one who is so deserving of it?
It wasn't until this past spring of '94 that I became aware of Take Back Our Streets and Cpl. Gordon March. I had just moved into Freetown, and as a new resident, I felt quite insecure and alone in my new environment. My fears and needs were many when I was introduced to Corporal March and the program through my children's school, Freetown Elementary. Soon, I found myself new friends, including Corporal March, Officer Foote, Officer Kyle, Officer Tee and Officer Hatcher. . . .
We'd really like to know why Corporal March was moved out of our lives when he was such a dedicated man on his job. . . . We don't like being forced to say "goodbye" to a good friend. . . . Just when my children and I find an authoritative figure we could trust, again it has been taken away.
Charlene Brunecz
Pasadena