Police Chief Announces 'Voluntary' Resignation, Says Unrelated to Department Investigation

After a stretch of less than nine months heading police in Anne Arundel County, Chief Larry Tolliver announced his resignation Tuesday afternoon, as the county awaits the outcome of an investigation into claims of unfair treatment within the department.

"I am resigning today because the department needs a chief who can focus solely on the department’s mission, something that is challenging to do in the current environment," Tolliver said in the letter.

Tolliver's resignation is effective May 21. Patch contacted the office of County Executive Laura Neuman for information about possible replacements, but she has yet to respond.

In late April, County Councilman Jamie Benoit wrote Neuman, requesting an investigation into whether Tolliver used a "homophobic slur" toward employees and reassigned officers who testified against former County Executive John Leopold in the criminal trial earlier this year.

Tolliver acknowledged that one of these claims had some truth to it.

"The Department of Personnel determined that all of the several complaints lodged by an officer were unfounded, except for a single use of an insensitive term in one joking conversation with a personal friend," Tolliver said.

He went on to explain that his retirement is voluntary, and that he doesn't see himself as a long-term solution as chief of police in Anne Arundel County.

Last week, Neuman announced she was organizing an inter-county task force, with police from Montgomery and Harford Counties, to investigate recent claims about mistreatment and information leaks in the department.

Tolliver has more than 39 years of experience in law enforcement, and previously served as police chief in Anne Arundel County from 1997 to 1998.

He took over again in August of last year, after then-Chief James Teare Sr. stepped down amid a criminal investigation into Teare and County Executive Leopold.

For the full letter, see the document included above.