ACLU files complaint against Pocomoke City for firing black police chief behind closed doors
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a complaint with a Maryland regulatory board this week against Pocomoke City officials, claiming that the Eastern Shore town violated state law when it met secretly to fire the city’s first black police chief.
It was the second time the ACLU has filed a complaint about Pocomoke with the Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board. Last month, the ACLU alleged that the Pocomoke City Council illegally banned the news media from its July 13 meeting, during which hundreds of people demanded that the popular former police chief be reinstated.
“Between barring media from public meetings and holding secret discussions, Pocomoke City officials have a lot to answer for,” said Deborah Jeon, legal director for the ACLU of Maryland.
Unless they can show 'wrongful termination' they do not have to reinstate him - regardless of the open meeting rule. With the socialist at-will rules we have here, they can terminate him for no reason at all.....
Firing someone is a PERSONNEL matter, and is not a public one. Keeping it private protects the individual much more than it protects the panel that fired him, especially if it is for cause or malfeasance in office. As a private matter, the discharged individual can say whatever he wants about the reason he got fired, without any fact check or having his mis-deeds outed. If his personnel business is made public, it may harm him much worse than keeping it private. But for now, because it was kept private in accordance with the rules on personnel matters, he can "claim" racism, and wrongful discharge. If the ACLU gets its way, they may harm this man much more than the firing did.
The fired chief should take his act back to Charm City. They're looking for a permanent chief and he fits the mold perfectly in every way, shape, form and attitude.
Sewell's running scared so this is just a latest deflection, he's dreamed up--- that will go nowhere---- to take the focus off of Councilwoman Diane Downing revealing that his firing had to do with some anon phone call he made about some drug investigation back in March. This in direct conflict of Sewell's version which was, he was fired because he refused to fire 2 officers. So now we can conclude Sewell and/or Downing lies and he's a whacko who for whatever reason felt compelled to make an anon phone call. Sewell would have been better off walking off quietly into the sunset. The anon phone call business is weird and isn't something a police chief or officer should ever be doing. What's even more disturbing is Downing thinking it okay that he did this. Is she for real? She is as unprofessional as they come and the black community needs hang their heads in shame. Anon calls are child's play something a teenager does and not a grown man nor does a grown woman approve. She has no business being on the council and being representative of Pocomoke until she learns how to be professional.
Human resource functions, such as employee termination, behavior or disciplinary actions are not allowed to be discussed in a session open to the public, because it could open a reason for a law suit. The behavior of the ACLU and the citizens of Pocomoke, the chief may be deemed a liability and cost him jobs in the future, labeled as a trouble-maker. He may actually now be un-hirable!
Isn't the mayor labeled as a theif? Does that make him uncrediable witness? Mayor already admitted to breaking the law? Labeled incompetent? I agree with you the Mayor and dale trotter are not hirable!
Human resources are for helping employees not a tool for firing and labels. State your name. I want to see where you work! Better not be HR bc I will have you dismissed.
The complaint isn't about the meeting itself being closed but the public wasn't given notice that a closed meeting was going to be held. If the commission finds the city in violation there is nothing they do as far as penalties. Their findings just open the door for court action if violations are found.
well ACLU, a great organization that has done quite a bit for so many.realize this before you stick your neck out and become associated with him:
1) look at his track record in Baltimore (He lies) 2) look at what he said was a DOJ investigation that he initiated (He lies again, even the DOJ said it was a routine audit and was not a investigation at all. 3) look at the recent findings that Downing lied about the firing she says because of a anonymous call, he says because of not firing two blacks, that are still employed by the City. (He lies) 4) He lied saying he was fired when Manager Blake was still employed
don't worry more will be revealed as we wait for the truth.... he should have walked and kept quiet when he was fired..bottom line is many people will have egg in there face when he finally is told to shut up and go home and he don't care, he just wants our town to suffer.
The fired chief should take his act back to Charm City. They're looking for a permanent chief and he fits the mold perfectly in every way, shape, form and attitude.
August 22, 2015 at 10:31 AM
I disagree with you. Although he was hired by Baltimore City he is nothing more than a ground pounder and should have never been hired in Pocomoke. This clown can't even formulate a complete sentence. He needs to go back to Baltimore to live in their ghetto, we have enough in Pocomoke.
Sewell's up to his old tricks. In Baltimore he thought he was slick enough to get away with covering up for a corrupt cop even to the point that he thought he could pass a lie detector. When he failed it, he then came clean. With all the police officers out there with pristine records Sewell should never have been hired and this falls directly on Blake and Ervin obviously at the very least 2 complete imbeciles and at the worst 2 corrupt individuals themselves who knew his record buy ignored it. He's doing that again here. He thinks he's slick enough to cover up his wrongdoings by tossing all kinds of lies into the mix hoping something will stick. Those of us who were not born yesterday can see right through him. Prior he even thought he could get away with making some kind of anonymous call and get away with that. That is worrisome because Diane Downing said in the interview that it was related to the CET and a March drug raid. He nor anyone else who is a police officer has no business making anon calls that are related to police business.
Where is the local media on this. They need to be pestering Downing about the anon phone call. If they try to interview her, do make sure to send a black reporter because we've got Downing's number. Oh do we ever have Downings numbers. She might be able to fool the blacks and some whites but most of us have brains that we use. If it's a white reporter Downing will say she's being pestered because she's black because her lack of thinking skills will not able her to see it is because by her bringing up the anon phone call she's opened the door to more questions relating to it.
Downing is not his only girlfriend he has four more in Pocomoke and they all are taking up for him. Downing is the only one they have pictures of in the back seat of the police car!!!
I heard something about what 12:31 refers to about another one and I believe it because I heard it from a very good source and no it is not someone related to or a part of the PD or the council.
Sewell is a coward who doesn't have the guts or the honesty to own what he says. He couldn't wait to put out the false narrative that he was fired because of his refusal to fire the 2 black officers.
From Pg 5 of the PC council meeting July 13 minutes:
"Attorney Hudson stated the prior to the separation Chief Sewell has been in conversation with the Mayor and Council; he knows what many of their concerns were. Councilwoman Downing stated don't say they. Attorney Hudson stated that he (Sewell) could certainly tell you what their concerns were. Chief Sewell stated "tell me because I don't know, I really don't." Attorney Hudson stated "You were there." Chief Sewell asked him to tell him again."
This exchange occurred on July 13. On July 2 the DT's was reporting "Former Pocomoke City Police Chief Kelvin Sewell was fired because he refused to terminate two black members of his agency,"
If on July 13 Sewell "really" didn't know what the concerns were concerning his firing why did he say prior to then it was because of him not firing the 2 black officers?
This has nothing to do with him not wanting to fire two black officers. There has been plenty of underhandedness by Sewell. No one in this situation is squeaky clean, but to act as if the council and Mayor let him go simply due to race is literally too dumb to comprehend. Why do you think a huge drug bust was completed within days of Sewell being fired? I guess for some 2+2 does not equal 4. There is plenty more to this story which is why you don't hear much from Sewell at all.
Sewell had no problem accusing the Mayor and some of the council members of being racists to the media but when he had the opportunity to accuse them to their faces he~~~in the profound words of Donald Trump~~~~~ acted like a disgusting, little, weak, pathetic baby.
This is because he knows they have the full story, which no one else has. There may be 15 people who actually know why he was let go but everyone in the town acts like they have the true reasoning.
Unless they can show 'wrongful termination' they do not have to reinstate him - regardless of the open meeting rule. With the socialist at-will rules we have here, they can terminate him for no reason at all.....
ReplyDeleteFiring someone is a PERSONNEL matter, and is not a public one. Keeping it private protects the individual much more than it protects the panel that fired him, especially if it is for cause or malfeasance in office. As a private matter, the discharged individual can say whatever he wants about the reason he got fired, without any fact check or having his mis-deeds outed. If his personnel business is made public, it may harm him much worse than keeping it private. But for now, because it was kept private in accordance with the rules on personnel matters, he can "claim" racism, and wrongful discharge. If the ACLU gets its way, they may harm this man much more than the firing did.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThe fired chief should take his act back to Charm City. They're looking for a permanent chief and he fits the mold perfectly in every way, shape, form and attitude.
Sewell's running scared so this is just a latest deflection, he's dreamed up--- that will go nowhere---- to take the focus off of Councilwoman Diane Downing revealing that his firing had to do with some anon phone call he made about some drug investigation back in March. This in direct conflict of Sewell's version which was, he was fired because he refused to fire 2 officers.
ReplyDeleteSo now we can conclude Sewell and/or Downing lies and he's a whacko who for whatever reason felt compelled to make an anon phone call.
Sewell would have been better off walking off quietly into the sunset.
The anon phone call business is weird and isn't something a police chief or officer should ever be doing.
What's even more disturbing is Downing thinking it okay that he did this. Is she for real? She is as unprofessional as they come and the black community needs hang their heads in shame. Anon calls are child's play something a teenager does and not a grown man nor does a grown woman approve. She has no business being on the council and being representative of Pocomoke until she learns how to be professional.
For firing black police chief ? How about firing police chief.(NO black involved).
ReplyDeleteHuman resource functions, such as employee termination, behavior or disciplinary actions are not allowed to be discussed in a session open to the public, because it could open a reason for a law suit. The behavior of the ACLU and the citizens of Pocomoke, the chief may be deemed a liability and cost him jobs in the future, labeled as a trouble-maker. He may actually now be un-hirable!
ReplyDeleteIsn't the mayor labeled as a theif? Does that make him uncrediable witness? Mayor already admitted to breaking the law? Labeled incompetent? I agree with you the Mayor and dale trotter are not hirable!
DeleteHuman resources are for helping employees not a tool for firing and labels. State your name. I want to see where you work! Better not be HR bc I will have you dismissed.
DeleteThe complaint isn't about the meeting itself being closed but the public wasn't given notice that a closed meeting was going to be held. If the commission finds the city in violation there is nothing they do as far as penalties. Their findings just open the door for court action if violations are found.
ReplyDeleteEmergency meeting - duh
ReplyDeleteOnce again the ignorant and clueless being led by a politician.
ReplyDeleteThe reason she is being so protective is because she is one of his many girlfriends.
ReplyDeleteYes Pocomoke remember crooked lives matter. This coming from a race of people that re-elected Marion "Crackhead Barry". S.I.U.Y.A libtards.
ReplyDeleteHiding behind your race is cowardice.
ReplyDeleteI don't think he is. Think that came from the town. He hasn't said that
Deletewell ACLU, a great organization that has done quite a bit for so many.realize this before you stick your neck out and become associated with him:
ReplyDelete1) look at his track record in Baltimore (He lies)
2) look at what he said was a DOJ investigation that he initiated (He lies again, even the DOJ said it was a routine audit and was not a investigation at all.
3) look at the recent findings that Downing lied about the firing she says because of a anonymous call, he says because of not firing two blacks, that are still employed by the City. (He lies)
4) He lied saying he was fired when Manager Blake was still employed
don't worry more will be revealed as we wait for the truth.... he should have walked and kept quiet when he was fired..bottom line is many people will have egg in there face when he finally is told to shut up and go home and he don't care, he just wants our town to suffer.
Wah Wah Wah! Anything the ACLU is involved in is a joke.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDeleteThe fired chief should take his act back to Charm City. They're looking for a permanent chief and he fits the mold perfectly in every way, shape, form and attitude.
August 22, 2015 at 10:31 AM
I disagree with you. Although he was hired by Baltimore City he is nothing more than a ground pounder and should have never been hired in Pocomoke. This clown can't even formulate a complete sentence. He needs to go back to Baltimore to live in their ghetto, we have enough in Pocomoke.
Who did Pocomoke hire to replace Russ Blake?
ReplyDeleteTroy Durham
DeleteSewell's up to his old tricks. In Baltimore he thought he was slick enough to get away with covering up for a corrupt cop even to the point that he thought he could pass a lie detector. When he failed it, he then came clean. With all the police officers out there with pristine records Sewell should never have been hired and this falls directly on Blake and Ervin obviously at the very least 2 complete imbeciles and at the worst 2 corrupt individuals themselves who knew his record buy ignored it.
ReplyDeleteHe's doing that again here. He thinks he's slick enough to cover up his wrongdoings by tossing all kinds of lies into the mix hoping something will stick. Those of us who were not born yesterday can see right through him.
Prior he even thought he could get away with making some kind of anonymous call and get away with that. That is worrisome because Diane Downing said in the interview that it was related to the CET and a March drug raid. He nor anyone else who is a police officer has no business making anon calls that are related to police business.
Where is the local media on this. They need to be pestering Downing about the anon phone call.
ReplyDeleteIf they try to interview her, do make sure to send a black reporter because we've got Downing's number. Oh do we ever have Downings numbers. She might be able to fool the blacks and some whites but most of us have brains that we use.
If it's a white reporter Downing will say she's being pestered because she's black because her lack of thinking skills will not able her to see it is because by her bringing up the anon phone call she's opened the door to more questions relating to it.
Downing is not his only girlfriend he has four more in Pocomoke and they all are taking up for him. Downing is the only one they have pictures of in the back seat of the police car!!!
ReplyDeleteI heard something about what 12:31 refers to about another one and I believe it because I heard it from a very good source and no it is not someone related to or a part of the PD or the council.
ReplyDeleteSewell is a coward who doesn't have the guts or the honesty to own what he says. He couldn't wait to put out the false narrative that he was fired because of his refusal to fire the 2 black officers.
ReplyDeleteFrom Pg 5 of the PC council meeting July 13 minutes:
"Attorney Hudson stated the prior to the separation Chief Sewell has been in conversation with the Mayor and Council; he knows what many of their concerns were.
Councilwoman Downing stated don't say they.
Attorney Hudson stated that he (Sewell) could certainly tell you what their concerns were.
Chief Sewell stated "tell me because I don't know, I really don't."
Attorney Hudson stated "You were there."
Chief Sewell asked him to tell him again."
This exchange occurred on July 13. On July 2 the DT's was reporting "Former Pocomoke City Police Chief Kelvin Sewell was fired because he refused to terminate two black members of his agency,"
If on July 13 Sewell "really" didn't know what the concerns were concerning his firing why did he say prior to then it was because of him not firing the 2 black officers?
This has nothing to do with him not wanting to fire two black officers. There has been plenty of underhandedness by Sewell. No one in this situation is squeaky clean, but to act as if the council and Mayor let him go simply due to race is literally too dumb to comprehend. Why do you think a huge drug bust was completed within days of Sewell being fired? I guess for some 2+2 does not equal 4. There is plenty more to this story which is why you don't hear much from Sewell at all.
ReplyDeleteSewell had no problem accusing the Mayor and some of the council members of being racists to the media but when he had the opportunity to accuse them to their faces he~~~in the profound words of Donald Trump~~~~~ acted like a disgusting, little, weak, pathetic baby.
ReplyDeleteThis is because he knows they have the full story, which no one else has. There may be 15 people who actually know why he was let go but everyone in the town acts like they have the true reasoning.
ReplyDelete