Recently-approved county police chief Marc Yamada looks forward to addressing challenges that lay ahead in taking the police department to the “next levels of success.”
Outgoing police chief Marcus Jones announced his retirement in January following nearly four decades with county police.
“We have had significant challenges in the police department,” Jones said during a county briefing Tuesday, “and I believe we have met those challenges, and I know there’s more work to be done.”
County Executive Marc Elrich noted Jones led the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) during the pandemic, the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, and the Magruder High School shooting, while facing challenges with police staffing and recruitment.
Jones noted challenges like increasing carjackings, large car meet ups, a spike in juvenile crime, and staffing issues. He expressed his confidence in Yamada: “I think Chief Yamada is going to do an outstanding job carrying the torch.”
Yamada, currently Assistant Chief with MCPD, noted his focus points including training, supervision and oversight, accountability and transparency. He emphasized challenges like juvenile crime, and said the county is still battling through traffic safety. He mentioned technology like the Drone as a First Responder program, which he said has “proven to be highly successful.”
Yamada has worked for the county police department since 1988. Elrich nominated him for the police chief position in May. He was unanimously approved by the county council last week.
Jones will retire effective July 1, when Yamada will take up the position.
Jones started his career with the police department in 1985, according to MCPD, working his way up to being appointed police chief in 2019. In 2020, he was inducted into the Montgomery County Human Rights Hall of Fame.
