Union claims Annapolis police retaliated against two employees who reported mismanagement

ANNAPOLIS — The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 400 alleges that the Annapolis Police Department broke the law by suspending two officers who reported mismanagement in the department. They are demanding that the chief be fired.

A group of Annapolis police officers and UFCW Local 400 members met with Annapolis’s human resources and city manager in March to discuss waste and mismanagement in 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 union said the suspension letter said the officers discredited the Annapolis Police Department and its leaders with their comments about specific complaints.

The union said officers had the right to report mismanagement.

“The suspensions of these legitimate whistleblowers are punitive and retaliatory in nature and outright illegal. We demand that these officers be reinstated immediately. We call for the immediate resignation of Chief Jackson and his Baltimore-based command staff,” UCFW Local 400 said.

WJZ reached out to the Annapolis Police Department for comment and was referred to the mayor’s office.

Mayor Gavin Buckley said in a statement: “The Annapolis Police Chief and the leadership team have my complete confidence and our police department is doing a great job. The issues of concern are administrative personnel matters and have nothing to do with interactions between the public and police. However, the meeting with union representatives in May raised questions that go beyond the allegations and grievances presented. Therefore, in my opinion, the public statements from the United Food and Commercial Workers Union do not fully capture the circumstances of this situation. I can confirm that APD has requested an independent investigation and I look forward to seeing these issues resolved.”

Despite the union’s claims that the independent investigation is being conducted by the Baltimore Police Department, a Baltimore Police Department spokesperson said the department has no ongoing investigations involving the Annapolis Police Department or any of its officers. WJZ reached out to the city of Annapolis again to find out which agency is conducting the investigation.

We are waiting for an answer.