La Plata, MD – A Charles County Sheriff’s Office deputy who posted a message on facebook over the weekend with a derogatory comment about the horrific fatal accidents involving teenagers has been suspended pending a departmental review, Charles County Sheriff Troy D. Berry said Monday, March 6.
“Friday, March 3, was a horrific day in Charles County,” Berry said Monday. “Three crashes, four deaths and a person seriously injured. Young people with their entire lives ahead of them gone way too soon. And to make matters worse, one of our own employees, a sworn officer, made a remark on his personal social media page that was highly inappropriate and extremely insensitive. His remark saddens me for many reasons. Mostly, because it was hurtful, not only to the families of the deceased, but also to the men and women of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office who have worked so hard to protect our young drivers through the WE CARE program and other initiatives.
“Since I became Sheriff, my goal has been to foster a relationship with our community that is built on integrity, respect, service and compassion for others,” Berry said. “One disgusting comment, one insensitive sentence, and an officer’s total lack of judgment certainly has the potential to harm that relationship.
“When our administration was made aware of the comment, we reached out to the employee, who acknowledged the post and indicated he had already removed it and issued an apology on his site,” the sheriff added. “This employee should have known better, as he was once assigned to the very same unit that handles these types of accident scenes. He has therefore seen the impact that fatal car crashes have on families, friends, and the community at large.”
The officer, Ron Glover, posted on facebook over the weekend, “f… ‘em, they were speeding.”
The comment outraged citizens and officers alike.
“It was so blatantly disrespectful,” Jennifer Allen of Waldorf said. “It’s more disappointing because this officer works with these kids. Instead of working with them, he was intimidating them. He needs to be fired.”
Berry issued an apology as part of his statement.
“As your sheriff, I would like to express my sincerest apology to the citizens of Charles County, and especially to the families who are now grieving the loss of their loved ones,” the sheriff said. “The comment that was made by one individual does not reflect the opinions of myself nor the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. All of us here take this incident very seriously.
“This morning, I called the employee into my office and personally dealt with him in reference to his comment,” Berry added. “The employee has been suspended pending further administrative actions.
“I ask that we all continue to pray for the families and friends of the victims.” He concluded. “We will continue working directly with them, as we have been, as their grieving continues.”
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com