With former City Manager Dennis Dare’s chapter with the city officially closed now, it would seem logical for matters to start quieting down in Ocean City as the winter season begins. We learned this week that’s not going to happen anytime soon, as the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) is embroiled in controversy.
After hearing all sides involved this week, it’s impossible not to conclude the upper management at the OCPD erred in how it handled former Officer Earl Campbell and K-9 Charlie, prompting Campbell to resign from the department. It’s worth noting numerous other resignations have occurred within the OCPD of late, but the specific reasons are unknown at this time, despite a swirling pool of unconfirmed accusations being made against Chief Bernadette DiPino and her management team.
In Campbell’s specific case, and we applaud him for shining the spotlight on his former employer, clearly there was a foul up in the chain of command and a dog suffered unnecessarily for days because of it. We believe Campbell when he says his immediate supervisor was slow to proceed with K-9 Charlie’s retirement from the OCPD because a veterinarian’s note was missing. That retirement would have turned ownership over to Campbell and allowed for the necessary surgery to take place days earlier than it did.
When the police department had its turn to share its side of the story, certain protocol was cited, but there was no suitable explanation for the delay and no acknowledgement that it should have been handled better.
What is clear is the Mayor and Council should be appalled that the supervisor said it was the council that was requiring the vet’s note when nobody on the council was aware of the situation in the first place at that time. The chief later allowed the dog to retire without the note out of interest for the animal. Nonetheless, the dog, a sworn officer, suffered unnecessarily while no action was taken. That’s inexcusable.
All Campbell says he wants to see here is a policy in place to prevent this period of uncertainty from happening again in the future. That much would appear to be reasonable and the OCPD should have had a policy in its General Orders for these types of situation. There is an order for practically everything else. If it does exist, it needs to be revisited.
Although reluctant to get involved in police personnel matters, the council should discuss this matter publicly with all parties involved. This was clearly mishandled by the department, which has been embarrassed as a result. The council will most likely not intervene, but it would certainly seem appropriate for the council to hold a public meeting to discuss this situation that blew up into a frenzy this week and does not appear to be calming anytime soon.
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8 comments:
This article is in huge contrast to the Daily Times' one sided and slanted misinformation on this very same issue.
Clearly The Dispatch knows more about Ocean City than any other news outlet.
I applaud the Dispatch's view(for not allowing bias fabracation,)unlike the Daily Times and tells it like it is. Is there more lipstick on this pig, than meets the eye? Let the investigations begin.
The can-O-worms have been opened.
Great writers who get their facts straight. The DT is trash.
As a previous member of OCPD and a higher ranking officer, this whole situation is not unexpected but is deserved by the Ocean City government. Those in power ( Mayor and City Council) were warned about Dipino's appointment as chief prior to the final decision. Since his name hasn't been mentioned, then Mayor Jim Mathias was partially responsible for this farce.
At the time of her appointment, she was EXTREMELY FAMILIAR with the City Council MEN. Her appointment was also made so that the higher paid, more experienced officers would resign, thus saving the city money in the way of salary and benefits in the police department. The government should now add up the amount of money Dipino has cost the city in litigation costs, lawsuits and payouts. I'm sure the city would have saved money by not making her chief.
This axe (Dipino) has sliced off much needed experience throughout the department and especially in the command staff. The knowledge and experience lost with the loss of so many previous officers has come at a high price paid by citizens and visitors to Ocean City.
It's a shame that all of this is coming out now. When the Chief was given her position she leap frogged like 4 or 5 Higher ranking officers that would've done a great job as Chief. It looked like things had been going ok in recent years, but maybe that isn't the case now.
Joe, what has the OC Police Chief done to you. You would not even bother with a cop and his dog if she had not pissed you off in some way.
anonymous 2:22, what a flaming a-hole. You know something Jonathan, it becomes so obvious when you make a comment because they're always so stupid. Hiding behind anonymous doesn't mean we don't know who you are.
Only you would suggest I'm pissed off a DiPino. Only you would try to put those words into my mouth.
Do PROVE to everyone here just how you can come off with such stupidity and show where I have made any such mentioned suggestion.
Does anyone know if Earl has found employment elsewhere?I know he has kids and the usual family expenses.
5:21
Thank you for your concern. No job right now. I have to get myself medically sound and in late January/early February I will figure things out.
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