City of Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley announced the names of the panelists who will interview and make recommendations to the Mayor and Annapolis City Manager Teresa Sutherland on qualified candidates to become the Annapolis City Police Chief. The chief is appointed by the City Manager with the approval of the Mayor and confirmation of the City Council.
“We’ve assembled a strong team to evaluate the candidates who apply to lead our police department,” Buckley said. “The interview panel is diverse in gender, race, and ethnicity, and brings broad and deep professional experiences.
Prior to developing the final qualifications for the position, Sutherland said that the City will hold four community “listening sessions” with the public in various wards. These sessions will take place over the next three weeks to allow the public to provide feedback on the qualifications they desire and policing issues of importance to them.
Once selection criteria have been established, the City will advertise the position, and the panel will begin interviewing qualified candidates.
Acting Chief Paul Hermann takes over on March 21. The search process for a new chief will likely take 60 to 90 days.
Annapolis Police Chief Interview Panel:
Elizabeth Alex is a Senior Director of Community Organizing at CASA (Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia). She has served on the public safety transition team for Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olzewski and Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh. Alex holds a bachelor’s degree Goucher College and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Maryland. She brings more than 10 years of experience in organizing including experience as a Peace Corps volunteer in Africa and Latin America (photo not available at this time).
Charlton “Chuck” Howard, a resident of Eastport, is an Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Office of Special Counsel for the Child Support Administration. A graduate of the US Naval Academy and the University of Maryland School of Law. He served for 22 years as a Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS Special Agent), was named NCIS Special Agent of the Year in 2000, and ultimately retired as NCIS Executive Assistant Director. He was appointed as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Baltimore, where he prosecuted major crimes. Mr. Howard also served as an intelligence officer in the Marine Corps and later the U.S. Naval Reserve, retiring as a Navy Captain.
Chief Lisa Myers is a 27-year veteran of the Howard County Police Department. She was appointed Chief in February 2019. She has served in various positions including Chief of Staff, Patrol Division Watch Commander, Public Information Officer and Community Officer. She has represented the police department in labor management negotiations and on multiple boards including the Citizens Advisory Council, the African American Community Roundtable and the Police and Business Professionals Partnership. She is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Maryland Chiefs of Police Association and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in criminal justice from Coppin State University.
Lon Powell, a resident of the Parole community in Annapolis, is a graduate of Morgan State University. Professionally, Lon is a Senior Staff member for a Department of the Navy support agency. He has served as a community leader in a number of capacities, having championed numerous community efforts over the years that focus on empowering and bonding community residents. Powell is passionate and committed to pursuing opportunities that promote balance and equity in relation to quality of life matters for all communities and residents in the City of Annapolis.
Deputy Fire Chief Kevin J. Simmons is the City’s Director of the Office of Emergency Management. Chief Simmons has 37 years of public safety experience in Howard County and the City of Annapolis. Simmons earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland and a Master of Arts from the University of Baltimore. He completed the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Teresa O. Sutherland is the City Manager. She has 30 years of experience in local government management, including the development of public and fiscal policy, including serving as the Anne Arundel County auditor for 21 years. She is a CPA with a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting and a Master’s Degree from the University of Maryland University College in General Administration, State and Local Government.
Rev. Stephen Tillett is senior pastor of Asbury Broadneck United Methodist Church and a past president of the Anne Arundel County Branch NAACP. He is a former Wing Chaplain in the District of Columbia National Guard and Senior IMA Chaplain at Arlington National Cemetery. Tillett holds Bachelor of Arts from American University and a Master of Divinity from Howard University. He is a recipient of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Peacemaker Award.
