Several hours after meeting with Harford County Sheriff-elect Jesse Bane, Maj. Roy Mitchell, a 32-year veteran of the force, decided to
retire.
Mitchell?s retirement could be the start of several more who may call it quits in the wake of Bane being elected the next Harford County Sheriff.
“I am retired effective Jan. 1, and I will be using leave time throughout the month of December,” Mitchell told The Examiner.
When asked if his decision to retire was based on philosophical differences with Bane regarding agency operation and command structure, Mitchell replied, “I?d rather not get into that now.”
For the past three years, Mitchell has been in charge of the sheriff?s office police services bureau, which oversees both the southern and northern precincts and the special operations division.
“Several hours after meeting with [Mitchell] and laying out what I expected from command staff members, I received a phone call from [Mitchell] saying that he was going to retire,” Bane said last week.
Bane said would not elaborate on particulars of the conversation during his meeting with Mitchell.
“I do not believe it was politically motivated,” Bane said of Mitchell?s retirement.
Deputies who agreed to speak with The Examiner on election night said that they expected several members of Golding?s command staff ? who they termed as a “good ol? boys network” ? to resign if Bane were elected.
Mitchell?s retirement now leaves one more position that Bane will have to fill after he takes command on Dec. 4.
Bane said Monday he will have to fill the positions of chief deputy, warden of the detention center, two majors and three captains.
