The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

Rumors swirling around future of county policing are simply 'all kinds of stuff'
Valentine: 'The commissioners have directed the sheriff to come up with a plan, since he's the professional law man, with a plan on how we reunite the two agencies

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Dec. 29 -- Allegany County Commissioner Bill Valentine spent part of Wednesday night dispelling rumors swirling about the future of both the Allegany County Sheriff's Office and top personnel in the Bureau of Police.

Valentine said all three commissioners are united in the goal to re-unify the Bureau of Police under elected Sheriff Craig Robertson. But how and when that is done - and what happens to the bureau's top personnel - remains unknown, Valentine said.

"There is no plan yet," Valentine said of reunited the two police agencies. "The commissioners have directed the sheriff to come up with a plan, since he's the professional law man ... With a plan on how we reunite the two agencies."

In addition, Valentine said "there has been nothing at all decided about Mr. Bell or Mr. Dick" - a reference to bureau Chief J. Robert Dick and his top lieutenant, Rodney Bell.

Valentine said it was Robertson's idea to have a five-person panel weigh in, as objectively as possible, and put forth a recommendation on the best way to reunite the two agencies. The five panelists will be named Thursday at the commissioners' public meeting on Dec. 30. Members include a retired Maryland State Police colonel, an elected sheriff from a neighboring county, a lawyer and the head of a local business organization.

Other than the five-person panel, Valentine said the commissioners have agreed on two things: "we don't want people getting hurt (and) we don't want people losing jobs ... But there's no plan of how that's going to happen."

Valentine echoed previous statements he and Commission President Mike McKay campaigned on - and repeated at their Dec. 16 swearing-in ceremony - that the entier process would be open and transparent. All business regarding the transition will be conducted in front of the public, both commissioners have pledged.

Until the panel puts forth a recommendation, there are many rumors being discussed. One rumor on Thursday had Dick heading the county's code enforcement efforts and Bell being transferred to a grant writing position.

Valentine didn't say whether one or both moves would happen.

"People are bouncing all kinds of stuff off the wall," Valentine said. Some of it might even be official business.

He reiterated nothing has yet been decided. There is no timeline on when such a plan might be finalized and implemented, he said.