Baltimore Police Union President Asks For Resignation Of Committee Oversight Task Force Member
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- There's more fallout following a tense encounter between the now former chair of the Community Oversight Task Force and a Baltimore City Police sergeant last month.
The head of the Baltimore police union is now demanding Marvin McKenstry resign from the task force altogether.
"His apologies are not enough especially when accompanied by dishonestly," said Lt. Gene Ryan, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3.
Police body camera of the April interaction between McKenstry and Sgt. Terrance McGowan was made public just this month.
McGowan is seen and heard explaining to McKenstry, that he pulled him over for being double-parked.
McGowan asks for McKenstry's license and registration multiple times throughout the nearly hour long encounter.
"I'm not going to cooperate because this is not lawful," McKenstry is heard saying.
The Community Oversight Task Force is part of the DOJ Consent Decree between the city and BPD, which calls for a massive overhaul of the policing in the city.
After the video was released, McKenstry resigned as the chair of the task force, but has stayed on as regular member.
Ryan also critical of other task force members for not calling for McKenstry's resignation.
"Marvin McKenstry has become the self appointed poster child for all that is wrong with allowing civilians to determine the fate of police officers," said Ryan.
In a letter dated Monday to the federal judge overseeing the Consent Decree, the new chair of the task force, Ray Kelly said he would only take on the role if McKenstry stayed on the panel.
Kelly making a point to highlight the reason of the task force's existence writing in part "we must not forget the history of negative encounters between the BPD and black men in Baltimore City."
Wednesday mayor Catherine Pugh weighing in saying she's still reviewing the incident, which she called a "teachable moment".
"That is not the example we want to set in Baltimore, for Baltimoreans and he had a responsibility to a task force and realize that that is an issue," she said.
The mayor appoints members of the Community Oversight Task Force and also has the authority to remove them.
WJZ reached out to McKenstry several times for comment, but did not hear back.
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