Evening star., 1949-08-10
0rme Planning
Detailed
ToA|| Charges
County Police Chief
To Make Public Reply
To McNoyr Statement

ouopcllucO MOIlGSOlllCly SOO1iCy
police chief, plan to make public
detailed answers within the next
few days to each of six charges
made against him by County liam
ager Irving G. McNayr.
This was announced late yes
terday by Attorneys F. Barnard
Welsh and James H. Pugh after
Mr.. McNayr had presented the
County Council with a detailed
statement of his charges. one Of
which accused Mr.. Orme of will
full sabotage"
Mr.. McNayr relieved Chief Orme
of duty last Friday principally
because of an article in The Star
the day before in which the police
chief was quoted as criticizing the
use of one-man police cruisers.
At that time, the county man.
ager said he would ask the coun-
Gil to discharge Mr.. Orme.
Although the matter was sched-
uled to come before the coun-
Gil yesterday. Acting President
Thomas C. Kelley said the group
decided to defer action because
of the absence of three OF the
seven council members.
Mr.. Kelley added that public
hearing will be held on the
charges, the date of which prob
ably will be announced at the
councils meeting next Tuesday.
He emphasized that the council
had not discussed the merits Of
the case at an executive session
earlier yesterday, when the MEM
bers had received the detailed
statement.
In discussing his charge of will
full sabotage against Mr.. Orme.
Mr.. McNayr recalled in his state
ment that he and the police chief
had agreed previously that al
though the latter was opposed to
one-man police cars. he would do
nothing which would prevent the
plan from being given fair trial.
The system, which affects only
the daytime shift, went into OPP
Grafton August l under order OF
the council for a six-month trial
period. 1t was recommended by
Mr.. McNayr.
Sabotage Attempt Charged.
Publicity thus given to the
view of the chief of police" Mr..
McNayr stated, three days after
the program started. that the
plan was unavoidable and danger
Gus TO the welfare of the county.
constitutes nothing less than an
attempt to sabotage the plan. .
"Insubordinate action such as
I this cannot be condoned in any
! Department. head in Montgomery
County, and particularly by the
chief of the Police Depart
ment."
THE county manager also made
the following charges against the
police chief:
1. Mr.. Orme "has failed to COM
ply with directives both from the
president of the County Council
and the county manager in re-
gard to attendance at meetings
of the Montgomery County Safe
ty Board and has failed to give
adequate reasons for his failure
to attend such meetings"
In this connection, Mr.. McNayr
said MI. Orn1e had attended only
one of six meetings held by the
Safety Board since last January
and two of nine meetings last
year.
Failed to Obey Order"
2. Mr.. Orme failed to obey the
order of the council and the
county manager to appear at a
meeting of departmental heads
with the council June 16 to JUS
tify his budget request.
8. Mr.. Orme failed to inform
the county manager or his Subor-
dinates in the Police Department
of his whereabouts between June
9 and June 20 (when the police
chief was on leave of absence)
"and thus could not have been
reached in case of emergency
within the county during the
period"
Mr.. McNayr said in his state
ment- he had granted the chiefs
request for a two-week leave be-
ginning June 9 with the UNDER
standing Mr.. Orme would be pres
ent at the June Is meeting. It
was at this meeting, Mr.. McNayr
said, that the council instructed
him to proceed with the estab-
Ilishment of the one-man police
car plan. He added that the
chiefs failure to attend "is in it
self sufficient cause for the re-
moval of Chief Orme."
4. Mr.. Orme was guilty OF will
full neglect and extremely bad
judgment" in approving a request
by Policeman Daniel c. Barnes to
live rent-free in a cabin owned
by the Maryland-National Cap
ital Park and Planning Commis-
sion in Rock Creek Park land to
serve as custodian of such prop
erty while employed as a county
policeman"
Denies Receiving Request.
Mr.. McNayr said Policeman
Barnes has moved from the prop
erty.
In commenting on this charge,
Mr.. Orme said he had received no
request from Policeman Barnes to
act as custodian of the cabin. He
said the only request made by the
policeman was for permission to
live in the cabin. Mr.. Orme's at
torneys said Policeman Barnes
wife had acted as custodian.
S. Mr.. Orme "has evaded re-
snonsihi1itv which has resulted in