The new commander for the Prince George’s County Police district that includes College Park will need to prioritize building a relationship with the community and the university, County Police Chief Roberto Hylton said.
While Hylton said he didn’t expect widespread allegations of brutality against county police in the wake of the riots that followed the Terp men’s basketball team’s win over Duke last month to complicate the search, he did say building relationships with the community would be critical.
The new commander has to have “integrity, can lead in a complex and diverse community, be a coalition builder and be someone who can affect crime through traditional and community policing methods,” Hylton said.
The search process could take months, Hylton said, but will be finished before the end of the year. Former District 1 Commander Maj. Daniel Dusseau, who retired from the force earlier this month, was named commander the same day former commander Kevin Davis was promoted to deputy chief last spring.
Dusseau retired the same week a video of police beating a student during the March 4 riots surfaced and drew national media attention, but county police have said his retirement — and move to the private sector — had been expected.
Hylton didn’t expect the process to be overly complicated, he said, noting it will be much simpler than choosing a new county or University Police chief.
“A police chief search is much different than choosing who to put into different commands,” he said. “Choosing a new chief involves putting out announcements and people applying. The new District 1 Commander will be a current major or a competent captain.”
One thing the new commander won’t have to manage is an internal investigation of police behavior during the riots — four officers have already been suspended.
“Our commander of our professional standards division will be handling the case,” county police spokesman Maj. Andy Ellis said. “Any investigations involving the College Park incident are not the responsibility of the Hyattsville District 1 Commander.”
The FBI and the State’s Attorney’s Office are also investigating the allegations.
But in the riot’s wake, the new commander may have to repair a strained relationship with university students, many of whom have said their trust in county police has dropped.
Assistant Commander Capt. Cesar Pacheco is the interim commander, and Hylton said he isn’t scrambling to find a permanent replacement. The chief has the final word on who will replace Dusseau, but he said he will consult his deputy chiefs and community members before appointing someone. While district commanders generally have the rank of major, there is no list of potential candidates among the force’s 17 majors, Hylton said.
Ellis said it was important to name a new commander relatively soon, since District 1 is the county’s most populous with more than 200,000 residents, and that a permanent commander can ensure things run smoothly.
“I think once you get a permanent commander in the position it is a more effective way to run the district,” Ellis said. “With a permanent commander everyone knows who to contact and who to work with.”
botelho@umdbk.com
