Accused of harassment and assault, these police officers moved to new jobs with clean records

Howard is quoted in this Washington Post article: Accused of harassment and assault, these police officers moved to new jobs with clean records. This article describes a phenomenon that happens in Massachusetts and across the county: sometimes police officers who commit serious misconduct are allowed to resign and take new jobs in different police departments. The new departments don’t know about the officers’ past misconduct because it’s not mentioned in reference checks or personnel files. 

This article provides an in-depth look at one Maryland police department where a police department records clerk, Maria, was routinely sexually harassed. Maria reported the harassment and an investigator found her to be credible. The officers were not disciplined; instead they left the department and got new jobs in another small town nearby. Maria, on the other hand, lost her job when the department eliminated her position.

When officers commit sexual harassment, excessive force, false arrests, or other acts of misconduct, they should not be permitted to resign before they are disciplined.