Justice representatives also talked with residents last week about two other issues roiling the community: accusations that a 2011 federal police grant was misused and allegations of irregularities in a recent city council election.
“We are looking at the chief’s termination,” Charles Phillips, a mediator for the department’s community relations service, told dozens of residents Wednesday night at New Macedonia Baptist Church, according to a video recorded by the Real News Network. “We are looking at some of the other issues — voter irregularities — that were mentioned.”
More
68 comments:
Okay let's just assume the grant money was misused.
It was a $200,000+ grant that was awarded to Pocomoke in Sept 2011 to hire one police officer according to the DOJ's own website.
Sewell was appointed chief Dec 1 of that year after serving as captain.
Why did he just recently decide to contact officials about what he believes to be the misuse of the grant money.
Only 2 explanations.
1). He is incompetent because as his role as both chief and captain he should have been aware of the grant money and how it was being spent.
2). The second possibility is more sinister in that, he knew about the misuse but only when he found his own butt getting in hot water did he report it.
The justice department is corrupt and racist bullying White people.
So either way it was misused ....
The fox in the chicken house.
Just as he did in Baltimore....when things went south he confessed.... Also, why isn't KS inside PD informant running to him and blasting the NEW news with the Audit that is taking place tomorrow at the PD by GOCCP where the patrol officers weren't allowed to use State issued grant funds that they were awarded for a whole 6 months. The only 2 allowed to use it for those 6 months were his "buddies" " that's why!!!! Since the city would not allow his LT to have overtime, because he was salary, they tucked the grant funds away as their personal stash! The truth they are keeping quiet. The lies they are making national news!
sounds like Kelvin Sewell... I hope the DOJ also looks into the Baltimore City allegations and then works there way forward to his firing in Pcomoke. He left a trail of lies with community leaders, police in several areas, not just in Worcester County. If the truth gets out I am sure he wont be a police anyplace in Maryland ever again
Don't all Chiefs and non elected officials serve at the pleasure of the council and Mayor, not just in Maryland. May seem like a catch 22, but really, lets get past this and move on, I really don't need to know why they hire and fire people.. what about real news happening in the shore
Maybe so 12:39 but either way you look at it, the blame lies directly on the head of Sewell.
If the city was misusing grant money slated for the department that he was the head of then it's more his fault than anyone elses.
He either didn't see to it that the grant money was used properly or he didn't care.
Only a fool would think, it just recently dawned on Sewell, that the grant money HIS department was awarded in 2011, wasn't used as intended.
I disagree 12:32. While the top appointed officials at the DOJ are corrupt the ones who are working there every day are good people who do their jobs.
Look no further than the DOJ investigations of Officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson and George Zimmerman. Both were cleared by DOJ investigations.
Same thing is going to happen here.
Sewell needs to give it up because the more news stories that come out on this the more it makes him look bad and/or incompetent, like this grant accusation.
A non-no one knows if it was misused. The point is, the grant was from 2011 and what took Sewell so long to report, what he believes to be misuse.
Either he is incompetent for not keep better track of it
or
he did save this information and only when he knew his time was running out did he then go and file a complaint.
The town will go to court if the corrupt DOJ tries anything. Then EVERYONE will know what's going on.
Doesn't someone have to document to the government how the grant money was used?
Oh, oh. Gonna be big trouble in Charm City when DOJ finds out they fired their police chief! And when they find out inmates run the prison. Etc, etc,...
If he had concerns about the grant money why didn't he bring it up to the mayor and council? I don't know what happens to grant money as far as who it's distributed to like would it be to the town itself or is the check written to the police department. I doubt it goes to the mayor and council and then they dole it out. Regardless, it did happen 4 years ago, so why is it just now coming to light.
I think that is a major part of what needs to be determined and if he knew about it but didn't report it until sometime this year then he needs to be held accountable.
Seems to me like he withheld important information from another police department he belonged to before. The leopard hasn't changed it's spots at all.
What the hell does this issue have to do with him losing his job?
He looks as though he sits on his a$$ most of the time anyway.
Could lose a few lbs. .
I guess if your black , every thing is racial if it don't go your way.
A meeting at an all black Baptist church , lot a BS will be heard there.
HEY 2:44
I'll answer your question , "if he had concerns about the grant money" , he's a cop , a crooked one at that , look at his record.
He's just trying to change direction to keep the heat off his a$$.
Typical black leader , I'll show the you the way to get a head .
It's unscrupulous people like Mr. Sewell who damage the African American image in Law Enforcement. There are capable and committed black officers who won't be given the opportunity to serve as a result of his actions.
This is an audit.
"A meeting at an all black Baptist church , lot a BS will be heard there"
Ain't that the truth. Kinda like the 80 percent severed spinal cord and crushed voice box the Freddie Graysters in Baltimore were all riled up about.
When autopsy was leaked none of this was true. Lotta BS and they cling to it like it's the Gospel or something. When the truth is then finally revealed they don't want to hear it like with the Michael Brown Hands Up and he was shot in the back while running away BS.
The hilarious part is this "reverend" Ronnie White says he can't be in a town with a lying mayor. The Real News has the video of him saying this. But this so called reverend can be in a town with a police chief who failed a lie detector test while employed in Baltimore.
This is the perfect example of why the black communities are in such decline. Even their religious leaders are fakes and inconsistent.
Black youth have no positive consistant guidance even from their churches.
It's a damn shame this charlatan calls himself a reverend. God sees what is in his heart and God does not like it. He does not like it at all.
What a bunch of know it alls that really don't know it at all on this blog.
Sewell does not oversee HOW an officer is paid (from what money). If the DOJ either conducted a random audit or as part of the closeout of the grant requested documentation, then it makes sense that the DOJ upon review had questions regarding the use of the funds and hence this is where they recently began investigating at which time likely spoke with Sewell during the process. Im sure by the time the DOJ had asked questions and the Mayor/Council was busy covering up, it became clear enough to Sewell to "have concerns about the grant money" especially in light of the unethical actions of the Mayor/Council he was already dealing with regarding the other officers.
Let's give Sewell the benefit of the doubt and not call him crooked.
Let's just say a light bulb went off in his head a few weeks ago and he said to himself:
"Hey I wonder what ever happened to the 200,000 dollar grant we got 4 years ago?"
If this is the scenario then this coupled with the recent arrest of 17 drug dealers by outside agencies in PC makes him out to be a buffoon.
It also jives with the reason the mayor gave which is he was incompetent.
Without loosing sight of the fact that SOMEBODY IS STEALLING, all this needs to be vetted. Firings (wrongful or not) aren't the issue until after the crime is solved.
Yes he does know about how an officer is paid 5;56. It's called a budget which as a dept head he prepares and submits to the mayor and council for approval.
It would help if you read the linked article before commenting.
The DOJ wasn't doing any audit.
They didn't initiate the contact with Sewell.
Sewell affirmed that it was in fact he who contacted the DOJ.
Get somewhere with your excuses. They aren't going to work around here.
""have concerns about the grant money""
LOL-yeah he had concerns....... 4 years later. He's really on the ball. Just what every responsible person wants in a police chief. No wonder drug dealers were running rampant right under his nose in Pocomoke. Doesn't even know what the hell's going on in his own department or in his own town.
Miriam Cane the one who spawned the drug dealer Honiss Cane is on the Real News video preaching as well. She needs to crawl back in her cesspool she came out of. If she had a brain she's be embarrassed. Her sons turned out to be nothings. Losers. All they know is selling drugs. I wonder how many people died because of them.
I hear there is another audit tomorrow of grant funds misused by Sewell and Green. Could this be why Sewell was so determined to make a big publicity show about a different random audit completed by DOJ. He couldnt be trying to take the attention off of himself or anything could he???
"Sewell does not oversee HOW an officer is paid (from what money)"
5:56, As the head of the police department he most certainly does "oversee HOW an officer is paid (from what money)"
He just like any other department heads prepare their budgets which should have included the grant money as revenue. He should have been aware where every single dollar of it was going as he should be aware of every single expenditure including salaries of the officers.
Being the chief also includes this administrative duty as well the aspects of policing.
I would like to know about this and was it Sewell who fired this lady. This was copied from the April Pocomoke council meeting minutes.
A "former employee of Pocomoke Police Department as a dispatcher
said
that she would just like to state that she was fired last May
,
and it was proven
later
that the
reason for her firing was bogus. She stated that nobody would listen to her side of
the story and
that she would just like to clear her name of criminal activity. She stated that she
i
s a good
Christian
woman and if anyone would like to
hear
her side of the story she would be glad to
discuss
it with them. She stated that she could fil
e
an
action against the Police Department but
she was able to get another job and
move on with her life"
It's hard to believe that a large grant like that, which is a lot of money to include in the PCPD budget got out of Sewell's purview for all those years.
If it is true that it was misused, he had to know about it. He's not that stupid I don't think.
The big question is why did he wait so long to inform anyone. This really does not look good for his integrity.
His supporters are saying crime was down. Of course it will be down when he's overlooking crimes and not arresting people.
The only reason Sewell is even mentioning the DOJ grant now is because he is trying to dig himself out of a hole. I was told the DOJ grant was used to pay Greens salary. It also was for salary, overtime, benefits and training during the said time of the awarded grant. Again this isn't the grant in question of concern. This is a routing audit!
The Justice Department is racist
I support the Mayor and Council in Pocomoke they did a good job and made the right decisions!!
I also support the Mayor and Council, now let's put this behind us and get back to fighting crime and locking up the criminals that have been running free for 3 years!
Hello folks the Clown Posse is at it again.Kelvin "The Clown" Sewell Lynell" The Gold Tooth Bandit ",Green,Frank" Braces"Savage and Jerome"The Back Stabber" Stanford.Braces enjoyed going into a local business while it had customers in it and demanded a discount. The Clown was in power,he did nothing .The Stabber was one of the original officers that signed the letter against the Clown. The Clown ,Braces ,Bandit,and a femà le I will refer too only as Her had Stabber come too Bandit's rented home.The Clown promised Stabber a job as a detective too retract his letter,Stabber sold his soul.I can say this there is a group that say they have read The City Charter of Pocomoke ,fact go too the WMDT website and read about the big news conference on Friday night.
Between the accusation of grant misuse by Sewell and the accusations of election fraud the group Citizens for a Better Pocomoke are getting slapped down at every turn they've taken.
Funny how White had no comment when WMTD pointed out just how off base they are with the election fraud nonsense.
Now they are trying to say officers were coerced into signing the no confidence letter just because one nitwit is making the claim. Stabber shouldn't even be a police officer. If he's so weak minded and spineless that he can be coerced into signing a letter then he can be bribed into doing anything which is not ever a good thing for an officer of the law.
Right now the ex chief just wishes everyone would shut up about this.He has another job opportunity.Now he'll feel obligated to return to the Pocomoke Police Dept with some looking for any opportunity to re railroad him.
Let me get this straight, I was not forced to sign any letter by Det Bailey for the ''no confident vote'' of Chief Sewell. After meeting with Bailey and hearing what he had to say I signed the letter. I was contacted by Lt Green shortly after the incident and had a meeting with him. I then requested to have my name removed from the list. I was not forced to sign or remove my name in either incident. I will not pick sides in this. I have stated to both parties I want no part of this and will remain neutral. So the coward who posted my name as a backstabber should know the facts before posting. This incident has everyone in the Police Department on edge and is stressing everyone out. Both parties please leave me out of this situation I will not get involved any further
J Stanford 0129 Pocomoke City Police
Great job Stanford for clearing up the confusion! However, the million dollar question still remains. Were you promised a promotion to CID (Baileys position) and off of midnight shift once the ex Chief was "re-hired", if you signed the letter? Get it all out on the table, don't let them tarnish your name!
I am embarrassed for the fine people of Pocomoke who have to watch this dog and pony show unfold before their eyes.I can say this for PPD, they don't beat your ass in custody like SOME chore departments who need a DOJ "checkup".
I was not promised anything and for those who know I asked and was approved to be in CID way before this all happened. I was told when manpower got back up to strength I would be assigned to CID to help Det Bailey not take his position. There is so much misinformation out there about this case. Again please don't involve me any further in this matter
J Stanford
I have a problem with J Stanford's response. J. Stanford allowed the narrative to proliferate that he was coerced into signing until he was outed and not anon anymore.
This reverend pastor whatever he claims to be Ronnie White said right on WMDT (watch the video) that he (Stanford) was "coerced into signing."
How come J Stanford didn't feel compelled to set the record straight then. Or when Jonathan Taylor has a post titled that he was coerced.
J Standford if you are sincere then you would immediately contact Ronnie White and Jonathan Taylor and tell the both of them to immediately cease with their lying and to retract what they said about the coercion otherwise your words are empty and have not meaning.
I have a question 11:48. Or maybe J Stanford can answer since he was at the rented house while "Her" was there. Is "Her" "self employed" so to speak? Or was she once "self employed" that you know of?
I want to know why Jerome Stanford didn't feel compelled to clear up the confusion until after his name was revealed.
For at least 3 days that I know of, this has been going on and he was perfectly okay with it until it was posted publicly who supposedly said they were forced (or felt like they were being forced)into signing the no confidence letter.
And the other question is why then did Stanford align himself with the Citizens for a Better Pocomoke group, provide them with a copy of his retraction and allow them to run w/the story Stanford is now on here claiming is false.
If you feel so compelled to get the story "straight" then the intelligent thing to do would be to confront Ronnie White and tell him that he is speaking out of turn and what he is saying is not true.
Someone sold Backstabber down the river. Either Her, Clown, Braces or the Gold Tooth Bandit because who else would have known the story.
One of them is busy ratting out the others it seems.
I feel for you J Stanford, but when you hang with those types they will turn on you in a second to save their own butts.
I am a citizen of Pocomoke City. What makes me so mad is the fact the national news is trying to spin this as if the community is riddled with racism and hate. This could not be farther from the truth. Just take a look at the recent passing of Mrs. Pusey. The community came together to celebrate her life in a way I have never seen before. If you read this article, you would think this town is divided in hatred. This is far from the case. They make it seem as if the council is set up so that a majority is white. I for one, am tired of the press going to the "community gatherings", which are at local "black" churches and stating that they have the whole story. Again, false. The council has plenty of support, the mayor has plenty of support. There are plenty of citizens who are grateful for Kevin Sewell's time in the PCPD, yet have no qualms that he was let go. Stop painting us in the light of a racist, bigoted town. there is plenty more corruption in local cities. So sad to see the city portrayed in this light.
I too have concerns with why Officer Stanford allowed a false narrative to continue because now it is out in public on the news.
I am willing to take his word for it that he only wished to remain neutral and it was others that added the sinister sounding words such as "forced" and "coerced."
Anyway God Bless you Officer Stanford and all of our other LE officials. This will pass like everything else does. Please do not allow yourself to be stressed out because it is not something in your control. Just do you job to the best of your ability. Again it will pass.
Let me get this right Sewell feels he has the right to give orders? Ahhh negative Ghostrider that right is gone the minute you got fired.Whomever you are speaking for him,that tells me you are as stupid as he is.The statement he will feel obligated too return lol,he is obligated too pay his unpaid debts.He knows what that means he will read this.Who cares about his next job? His next uniform for that job should be a jumpsuit with letters on the back.Talk about railroading,like he is doing the community of Pocomoke ripping it apart. Bottom line he is a liar.
It is a damn shame that that fake man of God Ronnie White and the Fat blogger decided to drag Officer Stanford's name into all of this.
8:18-tell the ex chief to wish in one hand and to crap in the other and see which one gets filled up quicker.
The ONLY reason people are talking about this and will continue for some time, is due solely and exclusively to his own actions.
He grew it now he has no other option but to suck it up.
The fat guy JT is as clueless as it gets. He has no information and we all know he won't get up off his lazy ass to come cover a story. If he can't copy and paste it, it isn't news to him.
What is the citizens for a better Pocomoke? I don't live in Pocomoke for one.Never heard of it till just now. I did not align myself with anyone and never provided the group with any type of letter. If you are so interested in the group why didn't you ask them yourself if I did. I provide a copy to the Mayor and City Council and then someone leaked it to the press after I told everyone I don't want to be involved anymore in this situation.
Stanford
Citizen for a Better Pocomoke is a group that was started in support of the former chief.
If the letter wasn't given to them by the writer and was only meant for the mayor and council, then common sense dictates it was leaked to the group by the only council member who voted against Sewell's termination.
The bottom line is, it was pretty rotten of White to make reference of the letter without the expressed consent of the author.
White has no business dragging any other officers into this mess and if he is a real pastor he would publicly apologize.
The letter wasn't leaked to the press. It was quoted and waved around by Ronnie White at a press conference a few days ago. White is a some kind of pastor or something.
The group are the people who want Sewell reinstated and White seems to be the mouthpiece for the group.
If anyone leaked it from the mayor and council it had to be Downing since it would only benefit her and no one else.
When this is over,I hope we have not taught future generations that hatred is okay.
Think for a second really,the council leaks a letter that could make them look bad.Hmmm,We ARE NOT IN KANAS ANYMORE TOTO not.See now you really had no need to make that statement unless you knew that letter was in the wrong hands ,because how did Sewell know you had signed anything?
At least officer Stanford isn't hiding behind an anonymous name. show some courage and use your real name. I bet you wouldn't say any of these things to officer Stanford's face because he would probably punch you in the mouth. So keep remaining anonymous coward
"Anonymous said...
When this is over,I hope we have not taught future generations that hatred is okay.
July 27, 2015 at 10:58 PM"
When this is over, I hope we have not taught future generations that hiding behind the racism excuse is okay.
When this is over, I hope we HAVE taught future generations that the truth isn't always pretty, but better to tell the truth and be called a hater then to lie or misrepresent.
He claims Green was there when he wrote the letter. So maybe it was Green who gave it to White.
This should be investigated because Green is a Lt from what I understand. As a Lt he should know at the very minimum that officers personnel matters are confidential and he should not be sneaking around involving himself in convincing other officers what to say and do.
The mere fact that he had this unofficial "meeting" with Stanford is a testament that he doesn't use any judgement, much less good judgement.
Bottom line is-Ronnie White, Sewell, Green, Jonathan Taylor and other guilty parties should never have dragged Stanford's name into this.
It is between Green, Savage and Sewell and no other officer's name or reference to them should be coming from anyone's mouths.
All they have accomplished is to stress out Stanford.
This so called "pastor" White needs to really do some soul searching.
Did he have Stanford's permission to wave around and quote Stanford's letter. Real pastors understand confidentiality.
" Anonymous said...
When this is over,I hope we have not taught future generations that hatred is okay.
July 27, 2015 at 10:58 PM"
No not hatred at all but the truth which is something you people can't stand to hear. But guess what? You are going to hear it and you can holler hate all day long but at the end of the day the truth is the truth and something the black community would benefit greatly from if only they would make honesty a priority.
The black communities are downward spiraling everywhere in this country at a faster pace then ever before.
The reason is because honesty is not valued and honesty is the foundation of a civilized society and when the foundation goes chaos ensues and that is what we are seeing happening. The way blacks are killing and shooting each other is a disgrace.
Why wasn't the DOJ involved with Somerset county sheriffs office lied in a investigation. Hickman agreed they lied then sat on her hands!!!
Green was elevated to the Lt. Position only because he was Sewell's buddy. He had less experience and education than others who had been on the force. He never should have been selected
One things for sure."It all comes out in the wash, and its on the spin cycle"
He was fired when it got out about the tactics he used to get crime down. All this other stuff is bs. He had no problem letting his officers whip ass and strong arm to get crime down. So no, they may not lock a person up but the criminal was going to get the living shit beat out of them as a deterrent. Guess what.....it worked. At some point someone cried foul and it's gone down hill from there. So now the white guy is in place and will probably use the same damn tactics to keep the crime down. There is no way on earth they are going to change their methods because crime with go right back up again.
Don't even go there about him promoting a friend. Good God, name a person in power who hasn't done the same thing.............right. It's par for the course. The grant misuse is minor at best and will be used as justification. Not that he gives a crap, he was already retired. He's not losing a thing. Pocomoke is the red headed step child of Worcester County.
Don't be silly 5:14. Crime was not down in Pocomoke. It only appeared like it was down because no one was getting arrested. How do you explain the 20 or so drug dealers just arrested.
You don't--- so don't even try.
Anyone who believes crime was down is a damn fool!
Amazing coincidence! Green always says "Good God" also.
Post a Comment