Crofton Police Chief Deborah Bogush resigned Saturday after receiving a stern rebuke Friday from Town Manager Barbara Swann.
Swann said yesterday that she had "general managerial concerns" about the chief's performance.
"I had talked to her about a great lack of confidence and effectiveness about the way she was managing the department," Swann said. "There were some areas where I thought she could show signs of improvement. She chose to resign instead of addressing those areas."
Swann would not provide details about what was at issue. She said she had not discussed details with Bogush. The former chief could not be reached for comment yesterday.
The chief had been with the six-member department for 12 years, the past 11 as chief. Sgt. John Wortman, a 13-year veteran, is acting chief.
Bogush was at the center of a controversy last year when she began building a workshop behind her house that lacked county permits and violated neighborhood covenants. She later acquired the permits and adjusted the construction so that the building was in line with the covenants, but the incident soured some neighbors, who called for her resignation.
For dozens of years, a minority in the community has opposed paying for a separate police force when county police also patrolled the community. Many of them were against having a chief because the position is largely administrative and Bogush did not spend a great deal of time on patrol.
The decision to reprimand Bogush "hinged on [Swann's] general sense of confidence, not one specific incident," said Steve Grimaud, a Crofton Civic Association board member. "Most every year when we had meetings we had someone say they were unhappy with the way the chief was conducting things."
Swann will meet with Civic Association board members Monday to discuss replacing Bogush in the $39,000-a-year position, which could take six weeks to three months. Swann said she will recommend opening the position to officers in local law enforcement agencies and on Crofton's police force.
Pub Date: 3/02/99