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Frederick County panel closes public meeting to review misconduct complaint; three allegations exonerated
Summary
The Frederick County Administrative Charging Committee voted to enter a closed session April 16 to evaluate a law-enforcement misconduct complaint; the committee later recorded that three allegations involving two officers were exonerated. The public meeting approved prior minutes and heard an administrative update.
The Frederick County Administrative Charging Committee met virtually April 16 and voted to close part of its meeting under Maryland law to evaluate a complaint of alleged police misconduct, the committee’s record shows.
Thomas Humphries, chair of the Administrative Charging Committee, called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. and the committee unanimously approved the March 19, 2026, minutes, including closed-session minutes from that date. Sarah Ambrosio, the committee’s executive administrator, provided an administrative update noting the upcoming Police Accountability Board summit in Baltimore City (logistics and additional details were not specified).
At 5:11 p.m. Katherine Jones, vice chair, moved “to go into closed session in accordance with Maryland Annotated Code General Provisions Article §3-305(b)(1) … and §3-305(b)(13),” a motion that was seconded by Deborah Haberkorn and approved 5-0. The record shows the committee entered closed session at about 5:15 p.m. The public portion of the meeting was recorded as adjourned at 5:12 p.m.
The committee’s written closing-statement form documents the committee’s stated reasons for closing: to evaluate and discuss an investigation received from a law enforcement agency related to a complaint of misconduct and to consult with legal counsel, citing General Provisions Article §3-305(b)(1), §3-305(b)(7), and §3-305(b)(13). The form also notes that “this body is required by Public Safety Code §3-104(h) to maintain confidentiality relating to a matter being considered by the committee until final disposition of the matter.”
In a closed-session summary included in the public record, the committee says members reviewed one complaint and, by majority vote, determined that three allegations of police misconduct involving two officers were exonerated. The record does not identify the officers or provide further details about the underlying allegations.
The committee’s public materials list the members present as Thomas Humphries (chair), Katherine Jones (vice chair), Robert Effler, Deborah Haberkorn and Laurel Beavan; staff present included Executive Administrator Sarah Ambrosio and Kendall Desaulniers, senior assistant county attorney.
No public objections to the committee’s decision to enter closed session were recorded. The public meeting adjourned at 5:12 p.m.; the record indicates the closed session began shortly thereafter. The committee’s packet includes the completed presiding officer’s written statement used to document statutory authority and rationale for the closed session.
The record does not state whether any further public action or follow-up will be scheduled. The committee’s statement indicates the matter remains confidential until final disposition as required by the cited statute.
