Three local police officers whose certifications were questioned in a Maryland audit will remain on active patrol for the foreseeable future.
District Heights Mayor Eddie Martin told the News4 I-Team the city had planned on placing the officers on desk duty amid questions about their background checks.
A state audit revealed two officers failed psychological evaluations and were not recommended for hiring. The report noted a third officer admitted during his polygraph that he'd smoked marijuana during the hiring process. The officer later said he was around someone who was smoking marijuana.
The city initially considered removing the three from active patrol, thinking the cases were scheduled for review by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions Jan. 8. However the state confirms there are no District Heights cases on that agenda. The next meeting is scheduled for April.
District Heights city commissioners voted last week to place Police Chief Elliott Gibson Sr. on paid administrative leave, pending an independent review of his hiring practices.
The state gave the city 60 days to submit further documentation regarding the officers' background checks and other problematic issues, including missing officer training records. Gibson told the I-Team he has already provided that documentation and adjusted internal policies to improve the city's recordkeeping.
The mayor said the city will wait to take any action regarding the officers mentioned in the audit until after the final report from the state is issued. The training commission's deputy director told the I-Team that could take several weeks.
