Montgomery County officials acknowledged Thursday they’d received subpoenas in a widening federal probe of potential Montgomery police disability retirement abuses, while council members learned that the board that approves disabilities lacks a specialist in the largest category of injury claims.
County council members were stunned to learn that no doctor who specializes in orthopedic medicine has sat on the disability review panel in the past 10 years, when 91 percent of those seeking disability retirement have had orthopedic problems like back, hip and knee injuries.
A September report from county Inspector General Tom Dagley revealed that more than 60 percent of recent retirees from the county police force get substantial disability payments in addition to their regular retirement.
The Examiner reported Thursday that Gaithersburg City Manager Angel Jones received a subpoena Tuesday from U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein’s office seeking information about city Police Chief John King, who retired from a position as Montgomery County assistant police chief last year.
King, who said he suffers from severe back pain incurred while subduing a suspect high on PCP in the 1980s, received $88,000 in tax-exempt disability retirement payments from the county during fiscal 2008.
Former assistant Police Chief Bill O’Toole received disability retirement payments of $95,000 last year while running a law enforcement training academy. O’Toole, who reportedly competed in a physical fitness competition last year, did not return repeated phone calls.
Montgomery County officials would not comment on subpoenas Wednesday, but by Thursday afternoon had decided to acknowledge they too had received subpoenas from Rosenstein’s office.
Patrick Lacefield, spokesman for County Executive Ike Leggett, said Thursday they had received subpoenas but would not comment further since it was an ongoing investigation.
Council Vice President Phil Andrews and Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg suggested eight reform areas ranging from different treatment for full and partial disabilities, to reducing benefits for employees who have “substantial other earnings” after retiring.
Adler told council members he thought most of their proposed changes would be subject to collective bargaining with labor unions.
Unions bristle at the idea of renegotiating contracts when abuse allegations have centered on management figures.
“The fact that police management personnel are the headliners should be distinguished from union members,” police union secretary Jane Milne said. “Two out of three assistant police chiefs under [police chief] Tom Manger got service-connected disabilities with his full knowledge and recognition. …”
