“To Chief Mauritz Stetson with appreciation & best wishes from Richard Nixon.” June 25, 1985. This photo is a fixture of the Pub at The Imperial and is attributed to Austin Walmsley, then of the Kent County News.
Dear Editor:
I would like the citizens of Chestertown and my fellow Council people to ask themselves this question, “why are the members of the Chestertown Police Department afraid of a merger of the police department with the Kent County Sheriff’s Department? ” Are the CPD members concerned they will not be able to measure up to the standards of the Sheriff’s Department and live with strict supervision. Are my fellow Council members and the Mayor afraid they will lose control of their police department? Just what is their motivation? What does control of a police department mean?
The town would save $ 600,000 to $ 800,00 dollars the first year. This is more money than the county would give the town in a tax rebate in the next five years. Many people have their own favorite police member and that will not go away but what will go away is the wasted money. We would get access to a criminal division trained to handle serious crime, modern technologies that the town does not have and can not afford. I should have asked these questions years ago when we changed police chiefs. Now is the time.
We have that golden moment to make a meaningful change. I hope the Council will search their own conscience and do the right thing. I am in my last few months of a twelve-year term in office and have seen the police department cost spiral upward without a matching of enhancement of policing that match the expense. I would ask the citizens of Chestertown to ask their Mayor and their Council members now serving or after the new Council comes into effect to do the right thing and stop the bleeding of funds that go into maintaining the police department in its present form.
Marty Stetson
Ward 4 Councilman
Ph. 410-778-0569
VERNON MILLER says
MR StETSON i think that was a low blow you made about the C. P. D. NOT MEASURING UP TO THE SHERIFFS DEP. ALL THESE OFFICERS ATTEND THE SAME SCHOOLING WHY WOULD THEY FEEL INFERIOR?
Marty Stetson says
Most of the education you get to become a good policeman you get from experience and the leadership of your supervisors and not from the police academy you may have attended. The man who graduated at the top my class academically at the State Police Academy could not do the job in the field and lost his job within six months. I did not say they could not measure up, but some may believe because of the lack of leadership they have received THEY feel they may not be able to meet the standards of the Sheriff’s Department. I am very sure most will do fine and will benefit in many ways should the merger take place.
Bob Newton says
Mr. Stetson your comment is completely uncalled for and quiet frankly disgusting. You have done nothing but downgrade these officers from day one on the council. Questioning every move they make or every single piece of information they share at the meetings. Now you belittled them in front of the public in a town meeting? Why did you feel the need to made all these comments. I realize you are trying to get your political agenda pushed through before you go by putting your best friend Kirby in there but why force something that is not needed. You have a 28 year veteran of the police department running it now, you don’t think he knows what he is doing? Please on behalf of everyone in town and myself ( one of your continuants) leave your agenda at home and give it a rest. The town charter says what it says and you want to change a document that was made well before anyone was living today because you want Kirby in there? How about help the department out and get the money it needs to be modern instead of voting every year to cut back the funding. We are all so glad your retiring and wish you the best but your agenda didn’t work.
Jim Stanley says
Okay Stetson, if you’re going to use the excuse that your agenda is for monetary reasons then so be it. I could understand that. However, judging from your unprofessional and ignorant comments regarding the Officers and their “incompetence,” I would venture to say it isn’t. You sound like a child who didn’t get their way and I hope you feel better after posting on all the local media outlets. Your desperation is showing, Sir.
Lack of leadership? You mean to tell me the Governor of the State of Maryland himself, picked/ entrusted a poor leader to HEAD the NRP? You should call him and tell him that. Colonel (former Chief) Baker lead the CPD for years so I’d say there was clearly no lack of leadership. If we are discussing leadership, were you not ultimately one of the “leaders”? Perhaps, the problem is you. Find a better argument that has a leg to stand on.
Are you seriously asking an article why the Officers are “afraid” of a merger? Why don’t you ask them yourself? Better yet, why haven’t you asked them? You’re a council member so why don’t you be a good one and talk to your people. I bet you’ve never sat down and even spoken with any of those Officers. Until then, stop putting words in any of their mouths. You don’t have the right to speak for them.
Apparently you, “have seen the police department cost spiral upward without a matching of enhancement of policing that match the expense.” I would like you to explain that. Are there cases that are not being solved,etc? Your arguments have yet to be backed by any factual information and it seems that you probably don’t have any.
One of your arguments given at the recent town meeting was that the Kent County Sheriff’s Office has a plain clothes division and Chestertown Police does not. In fact, Chestertown (your own town’s department) has had this for years. You lack basic information on things you should be well educated on. You haven’t even bothered to research topics you speak on. Clearly, your concern isn’t genuine and any one can see that.
In closing, I honestly hope you enjoy your retirement in a few months. It’s a shame that you’re willing to make yourself look like a clown in the last moments of your tenure and that’s all many will remember.
Seth Ambrose says
Why is Mr. Stetson so bent on bringing the sheriffs office on? I’m curious as to his real motivations. The man has spent 12 years as a council member. Surely a former police chief would have the foresight and ability as a council member to ensure the department had all the proper equipment and training he claims the police department lacks during his time in office.
A man with his experience as police chief and town council member should’ve easily foreseen budget issues coming and addressed accordingly. Perhaps the real issue is he lacks the training and ability to recognize what is going on in the real world. Perhaps instead of the officers not being able to live up to the sheriffs office standards, maybe Stetson is simply playing the good old boy card and wants to put his buddy in charge of something. Either way it is painfully obvious there is a snake in the woodpile somewhere when it comes to Stetson and police department matters.
From the outside looking in, if you’re going to consider turning the most vital town agency over to the county, why not dissolve the town charter and turn it all over?
Marty Stetson says
MR. NEWTON,
What is a continuant ? You ask why I question their actions at town meetings, the answer is I am trying to inspire them to do better. Chief Baker had thirty years enforcing the game laws, not in running a police department charged with enforcing the criminal and motor vehicle laws. If you had cancer you would not go to a heart specialist for treatment and if you has a heart problem you would not go to cancer specialist,. While they are both doctors it is an entirely different discipline. The same is true with heads of police departments. Colonel Baker is right where he should be and I am sure he will do a great job running the DNR. He is a good man, but according to the present acting chief he turned over the daily operations to him when he got the position of Chief of the Chestertown Police Department.
Michael Boehmer says
Ah yes, the last ditch effort to use the good ole boy system. Thank you for your service Marty, it’s definitely time to move on. Policing has changed so much since you were active. You can’t compare your training to the training of today’s modern Law Enforcement Officer.
The seven years that I spent with the police department wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows. But what is? I can tell you that politics have no room in the protection of the citizens. It can degrade the quality of services offered and this is a prime example of it. Chestertown has seen it’s fair share of local officials who think they can just do whatever they want. The good ole boy system needs to stop. While you attempt your last hail mary to get your best friend Kirby in the CPD, I will remain confident that my old teammates will not be bothered and will still provide the best service that the citizens deserve. Because what they do is a profession and a lifestyle. Not a political favor. You have attempted to mess with the department long enough and your endorsement will go away quietly, like the stinkbugs invading my home. Move on and enjoy your life, your family and your liberty. Good luck in your future endeavors.
Marty Stetson says
This will probably be my last posting in regards to the Chestertown Police. So far I have seen lots of personal criticism of myself but no one has offered an explanation as to why the Chestertown Police Department should not merge with the Sheriff’s Department. Someone calling from Chestertown for a problem would get an enhanced response to their calls and it would cost the tax payers of Chestertown half as much of their tax paying money. The Sheriff has said there would not be any difference in response time. I can understand why the acting chief maybe upset with what I have to say, looking towards job security, but I am baffled as to why any one who pays town taxes would object. As to why I am so blunt, I have always said what I believe regardless if it cost me votes. I chuckle when people tell me you are going to make people mad and they will not vote for you, I never worried about that from the first time I ran and I certainly am not doing it now in my last couple of months in office.
Jacquie kendall says
I realize you have strong feelings about many issues, however I believe the way you go about getting your point across is questionable. I was told ‘you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar ‘, I think that applies here. You point out some pros but mostly you criticize and whine, frankly I have always been surprised you keep getting voted back in, if you were running unopposed I would leave it blank because I’d rather have no representation rather than your representation. Just my opinion. My point is, instead of always being negative and with that smug I know all attitude, maybe you would get a better response. Good luck in your future endeavors, I’m sure you’ll drive them just as crazy.
Marty Stetson says
I guess the people in the fourth ward do not a pollyanna for a representative. They want a person who calls it as it is seen, sometime the truth hurts feelings but you would think those working for the CPD are big boys and girls and should be able live with another person’s evaluation of their performance. I have never gotten less than 50% more than my closest rival who ran against me. My constituents are not very quick to go to the social network but they let me know in person that they appreciate my honestly and candor. I said in my last posting it was probably be my last posting but it is raining (thank goodness ) and I have the time so I thought I would answer the last posting. This is not the first time people have found the time to write native things about me but never seem to be able to defend what they think about the subject or my observation of the problem and my solution.