Prince George's County Police Chief Melvin C. High announced July 31 that he will retire as head of the county police department after five years on the job.
High, who has worked in law enforcement for 40 years, was hired in 2003 by newly-elected County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) to the department from Norfolk, Va. During his tenure, he led a series of reforms at the troubled force, including signing agreements to have the U.S. Department of Justice independently monitor department operations.
‘‘The community today is a safer place,” High said at a press conference at the county administration Building in Upper Marlboro. ‘‘Thus, my work here is done.”
Crime rates in the county under High's watch dropped overall, though the county continues to have a high murder rate compared with the rest of Washington, D.C.'s suburbs. Crime statistics released the same day as High's announcement showed that violent and property crimes in the county held near the same levels they did this time last year.
‘‘Five years is a good time,” High said afterward. The chief said he began discussing his retirement with Johnson in June.
Col. Roberto Hylton, who has been deputy chief, will take over the department until a new chief is named. Officials indicated that they plan to search within the department.
It is unclear whether High will remain in the county after his departure date on Aug. 31. Observers said High could be asked to take over the county's troubled department of corrections, which has had a series of security failures, including the suspected murder of a 19-year-old accused police killer who was found strangled to death in his solitary cell on June 29.
‘‘I know that our paths will meet again shortly,” Johnson told High at the press conference, where he applauded High's record as a reformer. ‘‘I really do want you to stick around. There's so much work to be done in a county such as ours.”
High demurred when asked about possibly taking over the corrections department.
‘‘I do like a challenge,” he said. ‘‘But it's not a point I want to really address as I want to move forward.”
Officers said that High's experience and guidance improved the county department.
‘‘He was a calming influence,” said Capt. Craig Howard, assistant commander of Police District 5 in Clinton.
Though he spurred reforms in the department, High also attracted his share of detractors. From the moment he was hired, many community leaders and veteran officers complained that he was an outsider.
Through the years, others have complained that High was a stickler for policy and procedure, often at the expense of the department. Turnover has been high, causing the department to operate with about 200 fewer police officers than the county has allocated for.
‘‘It was time for new blood,” said Vincent Canales, president of the county's Fraternal Order of Police.
The county force continues to have problems with high profile murders and cases of officer misconduct, including Keith Washington, a former police corporal convicted this spring on charges of manslaughter for shooting two unarmed deliverymen at his home.
Prince George's County spent $2 million last year on settlements and court cases involving police misconduct.
High said that overall improvements made the force stronger.
‘‘I don't believe it's possible to find anyone in the police, in criminal justice - if they are honest - who won't admit that the Prince George's Police Department has improved,” High said.
Police spokeswoman Sharon Taylor did not provide figures on the number of murders, rapes and other crimes reported in the first half of 2008, despite requests made over the last two weeks.
E-mail Daniel Valentine at dvalentine@gazette.net
