Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger said Thursday that his department is conducting a wide-ranging investigation into potential wrongdoing by more than 100 police officers who may have used county tax dollars to buy guns at steep discounts while on duty.
Manger said he has directed his internal affairs department to investigate whether his officers knew they were improperly buying taxpayer-subsidized handguns and rifles, as well as possible time sheet violations.
“We’re looking at everything,” Manger told the Washington Examiner.
County officials are suing one officer, Detective Aaron Bailey, saying he defrauded the county by using taxpayer money to sell deeply discounted firearms to more than 200 public safety officials through a training class. Bailey has denied wrongdoing.
» A Montgomery County Circuit Court judge ordered the county to release copies of the police department’s internal investigation into two senior police officers to the county’s inspector general. Inspector General Thomas Dagley wants the records as part of his investigation into whether there was a cover-up after an assistant county fire chief caused a four-car pileup on Interstate 270 and had a blood alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit several hours after causing the crash.
Officials say more than 100 police officers may have improperly taken Bailey’s classes while on duty.
Much of the county’s investigation into the embattled tuition assistance program has focused on Bailey’s actions, not the public safety officials who took his class.
County Administrative Officer Tim Firestine acknowledged publicly Thursday that federal law enforcement officials have begun a criminal investigation into the tuition assistance program, which the Washington Examiner reported earlier this month.
Firestine’s comments came during a lengthy County Council hearing in which he and other members of County Executive Ike Leggett’s staff pushed back against criticism that they mismanaged the program.
Firestine’s comments came during a lengthy County Council hearing in which he and other members of County Executive Ike Leggett’s staff pushed back against criticism that they mismanaged the program.
County employees have been approved to take sailing lessons, Spanish classes in Costa Rica, hot yoga sessions and several other courses that had no bearing on their jobs.
While acknowledging mistakes, Office of Human Resources Director Joe Adler said deals with labor unions had loopholes, some big enough “that you can drive a truck through,” that forced management to approve classes of dubious value.
The county tightened restrictions for tuition assistance to some county employees, Adler said, and was looking for more ways “to make a good program even better.” He said the county has recovered $2,145 from employees who misused the program.
Some council members and union officials said the brouhaha could have been avoided if Adler’s office had used common sense.
Leggett has taken funding out of next year’s budget, citing the county’s poor finances.
