By Adam Pagnucco.
Earlier today, County Executive Marc Elrich announced that he had accepted the resignation of Police Chief Marc Yamada, effective immediately. Hours later, the Office of Inspector General released a report titled Public Synopsis, Investigation of Alleged Misconduct by a Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) Executive containing the results of an investigation of an MCPD “executive.” Minutes later, Elrich and Council Member Will Jawando – who is the Democratic nominee to succeed Elrich – released statements about the report. Elrich said he was concerned about “the findings regarding the accuracy of the Chief’s statements to the IG during the investigation.” That indicates that the OIG report related to the chief.
This post contains the OIG’s press release, an excerpt from the report and the text of the statements by Elrich and Jawando.
First, here is the OIG’s press release.
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OIG Finds MCPD Executive Violated County Code and Department Policy
Rockville, Maryland – Montgomery County Inspector General Megan Davey Limarzi announced today the release of a new report, Public Synopsis, Investigation of Alleged Misconduct by a Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) Executive, detailing findings of an OIG investigation related to allegations of misconduct by an MCPD executive. The investigation was initiated pursuant to complaints received through the OIG’s hotline.
The OIG found that between July 2024 and July 2026, the executive did not record any leave despite being absent from the office on several occasions. The investigation confirmed at least five days (totaling 40 hours) during which the executive was unavailable for work without taking leave or otherwise adjusting their work schedule, including attending a golf tournament where they consumed alcohol. While the executive is exempt from County Personnel Regulations due to their position, their actions violated MCPD policy prohibiting employees from being absent without leave.
The investigation also substantiated that the executive selected their County‑employed relative to accompany them to a work‑related conference, despite denying involvement in that decision to the OIG. Providing false information during an OIG investigation is a violation of Section 2‑151(m)(2) of the County Code.
Additionally, the OIG determined that the executive directed that a County vehicle be provided to an Office of the County Attorney employee without establishing appropriate usage parameters. The vehicle was subsequently used for personal matters and for commuting between home and work without the approval required by County policy.
The OIG’s review also identified broader issues within MCPD, including inconsistent supervisory review of timecards and confusion among executives and managers regarding requirements for taking leave when attending non‑official events during the workday. The report presented five recommendations for improvement.
The OIG Provided the County’s Chief Administrative Officer with a confidential version of the full Memorandum of Investigation on September 17, 2026, and received assurances that appropriate action would be taken.
Read the full report.
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One of the more serious claims in the OIG’s report is that the executive provided “false information” during the investigation. Here is more detail from the report about that claim.
The executive attended a conference in June of 2026. Our investigation substantiated that the executive’s County-employed relative traveled with them to the event but did so in connection with MCPD-related duties. The executive told OIG investigators that they did not participate in the decision to choose their relative for the assignment; however, our investigation revealed this to be false and that the executive had indeed selected their relative to travel with them to the conference.
This is Elrich’s statement.
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Today, I requested the resignation of Montgomery County Department of Police Chief Marc Yamada. We thank Chief Yamada for nearly four decades of service to MCPD and the residents of Montgomery County.
My decision followed the findings of an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General that was just made public. The investigation substantiated violations of County and MCPD expectations regarding time away from work, without taking appropriate leave or adjusting his schedule as required by MCPD policy. More concerning to me were the findings regarding the accuracy of the Chief’s statements to the IG during the investigation.
Trust and integrity are fundamental to public service, particularly for those entrusted with leading our police department. We expect our employees to follow established policies, and we have an even greater responsibility to hold those in leadership positions to the highest standards. Based on the findings of this investigation, I determined that a change in leadership was necessary.
We take the Inspector General’s findings seriously and will implement the recommendations contained in the report. We will also make sure our policies are clear, consistently followed and enforced throughout County government.
Chief Yamada’s resignation is effective immediately. I have selected Assistant Chief Darren Francke to serve as Acting Chief of Police until a permanent Chief is appointed. I have confidence that Acting Chief Francke will provide stability and leadership for the department during this transition.
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This is Jawando’s statement.
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I have reviewed the Office of the Inspector General’s Sept. 18 Memorandum of Investigation and am deeply disappointed by its findings regarding misconduct by an MCPD executive.
The Montgomery County Police Department is entrusted with the critical responsibility of ensuring the public safety of our community. That mission carries extraordinary authority and responsibility. Those who lead the department must exercise that authority with the highest levels of integrity, accountability and sound judgment.
The Inspector General found that the MCPD executive described in the report violated both County Code and MCPD policy. The executive was absent from duty on at least five days without taking leave or adjusting their schedule and was not truthful with investigators regarding their role in selecting a County-employed relative to attend an out-of-state conference.
My expectations for public servants in Montgomery County are high, and they are higher still for those entrusted with positions of leadership. I am grateful to the Office of the Inspector General for their thorough work to bring this matter to light.
The report also identifies broader weaknesses in policies and internal controls, including time and attendance practices and supervisory review, and makes five recommendations for improvement. I intend to review those recommendations closely and work to ensure that the necessary safeguards are strengthened going forward.
The conduct described in this report should not be allowed to reflect on the women and men of MCPD who serve our community every day and who are themselves held to high standards. They deserve leadership that meets those same standards.
I want to thank the officers and staff of MCPD for their continued service to Montgomery County. I will do everything I can in my role to support the department and our community through this transition.
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Assuming that Jawando wins the general election, one of his most important decisions will be picking the county’s next police chief.