RIDGELY, MD — The Caroline County town of Ridgely will remain without its own police department into the near future, according to a statement that town commissioners released at their meeting Monday night.
The department has been suspended for six months amid allegations of perjury and misconduct, despite the Maryland State Prosecutor’s recent decision that there was no evidence of criminal activity in the investigation of the suspended police chief.
Ridgely commissioners confirmed the town has no immediate plans to reinstate its police force. The town currently has an agreement with the Caroline County Sheriff's Office to handle patrolling duties until the end of fiscal year 2025, which concludes at the end of next June.
“The commissioners of Ridgely recognize that reestablishing the Ridgely Police Department would be a complex and expensive undertaking,” the commissioners said in a statement read by the town attorney. “Such an effort would require a high level of citizen support, not just political support, for operating the Ridgely Police Department and a commitment to funding and seeing the process through.”
While the statement reviewed the timeline of the department's suspension, it did not directly address the state prosecutor’s findings. The statement cited limitations on information that can be shared. However, the commissioners did express support for former officers of the department.
“The commissioners of Ridgely are pleased that most of the former Ridgely Police Department employees have secured employment elsewhere,” the statement said. “Thus, the commissioners of Ridgely realize that those employees would be unlikely to return to their former positions even if those positions were available.”
The decision has sparked frustration among some residents, who feel the town's response failed to address community concerns.
“I think the statement was absolutely horrible,” said resident Jennifer Nesselroad. “They missed it completely, there was no apology to anybody, they are just happy they can get another job somewhere—they didn’t want to get another job somewhere. They weren't being investigated, the chief was being investigated, and now he's not under investigation. This was a complete joke and a lie.”
The commissioners stated they will offer no further comment but plan to release the full statement on Tuesday, and this article will be updated with it.
