Republican candidate for Harford County sheriff Norman Cochran is calling for Deputy 1st Class Fred Visnaw to step down as the president of the Harford County deputy sheriff?s union in the wake of allegations of misconduct levied against Visnaw.
“I don?t think he is a fair representative of the deputies,” Cochran said Thursday.
Cochran said he was not calling for Visnaw to resign his position as a deputy, just as the leader of the union.
In a written statement, Cochran says, “Visnaw is the subject of an internal investigation that was sustained, and, as a result, charges of misconduct have been filed against him.”
Cochran goes on to say that Visnaw is being investigated for “sleeping in his patrol car while on duty.”
When asked how he come to have such detailed information on Visnaw?s case, Cochran said, “we have sources everywhere.”
He would not say if these sources were in the sheriff?s office.
Sheriff?s Office Spokesman Bob Thomas confirmed Thursday that an internal investigation involving Visnaw was recently completed and Visnaw would go before an internal agency trial board next month.
Thomas said the trial board process would allow Visnaw the opportunity to be represented by an attorney and bring forward witnesses in his defense.
Citing Visnaw?s situation as being a personnel matter, Thomas did not comment further.
Cochran?s opponent, Democrat Jesse Bane, a former major with the sheriff?s office, chose to keep his distance from the investigation surrounding Visnaw, and Cochran?s call for Visnaw to step down.
“I am not going to rush to judgment on that. There are procedures in place in the agency to handle such matters and I am not a member of the agency. I?d rather pay attention to my campaign,” Bane said.
Neither Visnaw, nor his attorney Mike Marshall, returned messages Thursday.
