Montgomery Community Media

County councilmember Hans Riemer called recent charges by three local unions that he had not disclosed his wife’s employment at Pfizer “ludicrous” and said that her income from that company will not change whether or not Montgomery County mandates its employees be vaccinated. The presidents of the International Association of Fire Fighters IAFF Local 1664, […]

Following councilmember Hans Riemer’s backing for mandatory vaccinations of county employees, three local unions have demanded he “disclose the full extent of his financial connection to Pfizer Inc. through stock ownership and family employment – which he fails to mention while promoting vaccine-related legislation.” The presidents of the International Association of Fire Fighters IAFF Local […]

The County Council’s bill to limit the use of excessive force by police is a danger to both police officers and residents, said Lee Holland, cooperation vice president of Montgomery County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35. The bill, which was approved July 29, prohibits chokeholds and limits the use of deadly force, no-knock warrants […]

Lee Holland, corporation vice president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35, has been a Montgomery County Police officer for 13 years and most recently served in the Germantown area. Holland took time to reflect on the recent death of George Floyd Jr. after a Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for almost nine […]

County Executive Marc Elrich announced at a news conference Thursday that Montgomery County will hire an outside consultant to conduct a full review of the police department. Elrich says the consultant will serve as an independent task force that could launch as soon as Aug. 1 and will do a “top to bottom review” of […]

As thousands protest police brutality and racial injustice throughout the country, the calls to reform police unions — which can stand in the way of prosecuting officers who kill unarmed people of color — are getting louder. Montgomery County Police Department’s union is the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35 (FOP Lodge 35). In a […]

Gov. Larry Hogan has taken aim at County Executive Marc Elrich’s decision to ban a “Thin Blue Line” flag from being hung at the Germantown District police station. On Oct. 30, Montgomery County Police Department tweeted a photo of a wooden Thin Blue Line flag crafted by a young boy as a gift to Germantown […]

To State’s Attorney John McCarthy, police chief Tom Manger’s retirement announcement is a sad day for the county. “He was a tremendous community asset, and he was a great partner,” McCarthy said Wednesday. Other organizations offered less effusive praise. The Silver Spring Justice Coalition has protested the death of Robert White, an unarmed African American […]

In this MyMCMedia Extra, Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger said one of the reasons he will be wearing a camera is to find out how the public reacts. He also shows where cameras will be placed on officers’ uniform. “And the reason I’m gonna wear one [is] I’ve been a cop for 38 years … […]

The Montgomery County Police are expected to soon outfit 100 officers with body cameras but so far only 20 high-ranking officials have signed up for the pilot program. According to Capt. Paul Starks, 20 officers with a ranking of lieutenant or higher, have agreed to wear the body cameras. Starks said he is one of […]