Two communities in the Washington region are mourning the loss of top police officials. In the past month, Roy A. Gordon, the Chevy Chase Village police chief, and former Howard County chief G. Russell Walters have died.
Gordon, 66, died of leukemia complications. A cause of death for Walters, 92, wasn’t available.
Gordon had been the Chevy Chase police chief for the past 10 years and has served in the department for 15 years. He is known for starting the village’s speed camera program and for partnerships with the Montgomery County police.
Shana Davis-Cook, the village manager, said in a letter to residents that she felt “deep and heartfelt sadness” over Gordon’s death.
Gordon had been receiving chemotherapy treatment at George Washington University Hospital for a week before he died on Jan. 28.
Walters led the Howard County Police Department from 1969 to 1975 after having served 23 years with the Maryland State Police. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living Maryland State Police trooper, according to Howard police.
Officials said Walters is credited with dramatically expanding the police department. During his tenure, he doubled the number of officers to more than 100, quadrupled the department’s budget to $2.6 million, started the police academy and broke ground on a new police station, which became the department headquarters.
Walters “made important changes to the agency that we can still see today,” said William McMahon, Howard County police chief. “We are saddened by his death. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to his family.”
Before joining the Maryland State Police, Walters enlisted in the Navy and served in World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1945 and joined the state police the next year.
