‘They know where my heart’s at’: Interim Baltimore County police chief hopes to capitalize on relationships and get permanent job
Baltimore County’s new interim police chief says officer morale is lower than he’s seen in nearly three decades.
Dennis Delp, a 28-year veteran of Baltimore County Police, said Tuesday in a briefing with the media that criticisms on social media and a national “narrative” about police are to blame for lagging morale locally.
To fight it, Delp hopes in his time leading the department to create opportunities for officers to interact positively with the community through events or other “feel-good” activities.
“We have to generate those because, believe me, people are generating issues and generating problems,” Delp said. “We need to generate those positive interactions.”
The county’s top cop on Tuesday listed priorities ranging from boosting recruitment to bolstering morale and focusing on the “before” of possible crimes to fostering a better understanding of police within the community. He said he hopes to apply for the job permanently, and to capitalize on his years in the department as he seeks support from rank-and-file officers.
“People know my leadership style, and they know where I come from, and they know where my heart’s at,” Delp said. “I feel confident in the fact that I will get that benefit of the doubt, based on those relationships that I’ve built out through the decades.”
Delp was tapped last month by County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. to lead the department following the conclusion of former Chief Melissa Hyatt’s contract on Dec. 5. Olszewski called Delp a “highly-respected” member of the department, pointing to experience overseeing the agency’s training and forensic services sections, as well as the Cockeysville Precinct.
Hyatt’s replacement will be nominated by Olszewski and must be confirmed by the Baltimore County Council.
The county executive’s office has said there will be a nationwide search for a permanent chief, but hasn’t provided specifics about the search or the selection process. It’s not clear who will judge candidates, if there will be any public feedback or when the county executive hopes to name his choice. Spokeswoman Erica Palmisano said Tuesday there is no closing date for the job posting, saying it will be open “until the position is filled.”
A job posting for the permanent position lists responsibilities including implementing reforms around accountability and community trust, instilling a “community policing mindset” and creating crime prevention strategies. It lists the salary as “negotiable.” Hyatt collected a $286,110 salary.
Olszewski, who won a second term in November, hasn’t provided reasons for Hyatt’s departure from the agency, other than saying, “Leaders come and go for a variety of reasons.” He called it a personnel decision and said it would be inappropriate to discuss.
Hyatt was the first woman to lead the department. During her tenure, she emphasized the importance of community trust and officer wellness. She also faced a no-confidence vote from the police union representing Baltimore County officers in May; the county executive defended her at the time and suggested her efforts at reform may have led to officer dissatisfaction.
The agency has roughly 2,000 sworn officers and a general fund budget of about $250 million.
Delp said Tuesday that his No. 1 priority would be making Baltimore County safe for residents and ensuring the men and women of the police department go home safely. He also stressed the importance of exploring ways of deterring criminal activity and creating more opportunities for the public to understand a police officer’s role, such as so-called citizen academies that help explain decision-making.
Asked why he wanted to be chief, Delp called policing a “noble profession.”
And, as for what he would bring to the department that’s different from his predecessor: “Every leader comes to the position and makes it their own, and leads in their own style. I have my own style of leadership.”
