Annapolis Police Department accused of retaliating against two officers for reporting mismanagement

ANNAPOLIS -- The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 400 claims the Annapolis Police Department broke the law by suspending two officers who reported mismanagement in the department. They're calling for the chief to be removed. 

A group of Annapolis police officers and UFCW Local 400 members met with the city's human resource manager and city manager in March to discuss waste and mismanagement at the police department. The group then shared their concerns with Mayor Gavin Buckley at a follow-up meeting in May.

Last Thursday, Annapolis Police Chief Ed Jackson suspended the two officers who met with the mayor.

"The officers who met with the mayor did so as whistleblowers and union shop stewards on behalf of their fellow officers and union members. Not reporting waste and mismanagement was not an option," the UCFW said in a statement. "They did the right thing and retaliating against union members for speaking out about their working conditions is brazenly unlawful."

According to the union, the suspension notice said the officers brought discredit upon the Annapolis Police Department and its leadership. However, the union said the officers had a right to report mismanagement. 

"The suspensions of these lawful whistleblowers are punitive and retaliatory in nature and blatantly illegal. We demand that these officers be immediately returned to service. We call for the immediate removal of Chief Jackson and his Baltimore-based command staff," the UCFW Local 400 said.

WJZ reached out to Annapolis police for comment and was referred to the mayor's office.

Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley's statement 

"The Annapolis Police Chief and the police department's leadership team have my full confidence, and our police department is doing great work," Buckley's statement said. "The issues of concern are administrative personnel matters and do not involve any interactions between the public and police. However, the meeting with union representatives in May raised questions that go beyond the allegations and grievances presented. That is why, in my view, public statements made by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union do not outline the full circumstances of this situation."

The mayor said the police department has sought an independent investigation.

The union however, claims a conflict of interest. "The investigation is to be conducted by the Baltimore Police Department, the same department that virtually the entire command staff is from. We call for another agency without a clear conflict of interest to complete this investigation."

A spokesperson for Baltimore police said the department has no open investigations involving the Annapolis Police Department or any of its officers. WJZ reached out to the city of Annapolis again to find out what agency is handling the investigation. We're awaiting a response.