Shortly after his victory over incumbent Harford County Sheriff Jesse Bane on Election Night, sheriff-elect Jeff Gahler said he plans to make significant personnel changes among the agency’s top positions.
“There will be major changes to the command staff,” Gahler said, as he accepted congratulations from a crowd of several dozen supporters at MaGerk’s in Bel Air Tuesday night.
Gahler claimed victory by a substantial margin, carrying 56 percent of the vote to Bane’s 44 percent. It was a marked reversal from four years earlier, when Bane narrowly defeated Gahler in the 2010 general election.
One of Gahler’s first personnel moves following his formal swearing-in on Dec. 1 will involve another face from that earlier campaign. Gahler told The Dagger that he will name Steven Bodway, one of three Republican candidates he defeated in the 2010 primary as his chief deputy and second-in-command. In that election, Gahler edged Bodway by just 64 votes, and later said Bodway would be a member of his command staff if Gahler was elected. This time around, Gahler said Bodway was an early supporter of his campaign.
“I said from the start I’d have Steve Bodway back in some capacity,” Gahler said. “It was between him and Eddie Hopkins for chief deputy.”
Hopkins was named Bane’s chief deputy, holding the rank of colonel, effective July 1 upon the retirement of Gregg Carlevaro. A Bel Air Town Commissioner and, at the time, chief of the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company, Hopkins rejoined the Sheriff’s Office as its public information officer in November 2012; he had retired from the agency several years earlier at the rank of lieutenant.
Gahler did not specify whether he intended to retain Hopkins within the agency in some other role, saying only that Hopkins’ future was “uncertain.” The position of chief deputy and the agency’s four majors, each of which heads a different bureau, are at-will employees.
Also, Gahler said he would name Michael Capasso as warden of the Harford County Detention Center. Capasso retired as a major in March 2012 after spending 25 years as a corrections officer at the facility. Capasso will replace former Maryland State Police Captain Charles Moore, who was named to the civilian position in June. Prior to his selection, the jail had been without a civilian warden since the retirement of Elwood DeHaven in November 2011.
In an August letter to The Dagger, Gahler said Capasso carried a firearm while in uniform outside of the Detention Center throughout his term of service, but that Bane “decided to disarm” Capasso the same month he retired. In the letter, Gahler said he would pursue handgun permits to allow corrections officers to carry firearms while traveling to and from their assignments. On Tuesday, Gahler said he would also move to change the corrections officers’ job description to that of correctional “deputy.” The distinction was the subject of a last-minute mailer over both Gahler and Bane’s use of signs claiming endorsements by the two unions representing Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
First, however, Gahler said he will depart Sunday for a several-day vacation in Mexico, planned by his wife weeks before the election.
Gahler’s performance in the general election may be attributable, at least in part, to the success that Republicans across the county and nation experienced. From the start of the election, Gahler’s signs proclaimed him as the “Republican Candidate.”
“Without a doubt,” the surge of Republican voters played a role in his election, Gahler said. “It’s a strong Republican year. When you’re the party in power for eight years [Democrats], there’s a tide that turns against them.”
However, Gahler also credited the work of his campaign team and supporters.
“We earned this win.”
Bane did not return a call for comment Tuesday night, and a message left at his office on Wednesday was also not returned. On Tuesday, Gahler said he had not heard from the outgoing sheriff. Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Christie Kahler said Wednesday that she was not aware of any formal transition plan.
In a smaller, quieter room at MaGerk’s not far from Gahler’s celebration, Harford County State’s Attorney Joseph Cassilly and a smaller group of supporters marked his election to a ninth term as the county’s top prosecutor.
Cassilly did not receive the endorsement of the Harford County Deputy Sheriff’s Union, whose members include the deputies tasked with law enforcement duties. Cassilly said their endorsement of his opponent, Cecil County prosecutor Steven Trostle, was based solely on Cassilly’s decision to prosecute Deputy First Class Christopher Behles for his role in a 2013 off-duty incident during which he fired his service weapon at a fleeing suspect’s vehicle.
On Tuesday, Cassilly was defiant, saying that while the deputies’ union may have refused to support him, others praised his willingness to prosecute a law enforcement officer. He added that some deputies also told him they did not agree with their union’s decision.
“I had deputies say they were embarrassed by the endorsement [of Trostle],” Cassilly said. “I’ve got 30 years of relationships with some of them.”
Gahler will be the eighth different sheriff whom Cassilly has worked with, and said he did not expect his office would encounter any difficulty in the transition.
“Law enforcement is still about getting the bad guys,” he said. “Management is management…but it’s still about making good cases.”
Hahahahhahahah!!!!
To the victor go the spoils? Ghaler has the right to appoint whom he chooses to serve under him and everyone that works in public office at an appointed level knows this could happen.
As far as Cassilly, he won despite not having the support from deputies. He needs to let go of the case regarding the deputy he prosecuted needlessly. From the facts presented the suspect was either intoxicated or driving under the influence. Guess a deputy can’t discharge his firearm at sight of danger and even though no one got hurt, a dedicated and often recognized deputy gets fired?? Maybe Ghaler will find a way to reinstate the deputy to some capacity in his administration At least I hope justice can be even handed with all concerned.
Bringing back Capasso as Warden is one of the best moves the Sheriff could make for the DC. He was my direct Lt. and my captain and commander of the CRT (correctional response team), he would be the man for the job. The issue too about correctional deputies being armed off duty is also good decision. People have no idea just what dangers not being armed poses to the correctional deputies while off duty, in uniform. To do so, correctional officers with sheriffs office have to apply for a carry permit with the MSP, which nowadays could take several months to just be reviewed. Bad guys just see the patches and uniform and could care less about the officers duty assignment. In addition, correctional face consultant threats to their own and their families well being on a regular basis. Correctional deputies are trained the same in firearms, defensive tactics, weapons safety and weapon retention as the road deputies are. I detailed what happened to me in the comments section on a previous article, I’m just one of several dedicated officers that that fell victim to the vendictive behavior that was common place. I have never publicly have the agency a black eye over it but people need to know what happened, to show what it was really like. The idea of public safety and officer is what our new sheriff is going to try and accomplish. Good luck to the new Sheriff and to the DC’s new warden!
Then the correctional officers are not doing it correctly.
MSP’s handgun permit operations manual states that law enforcement officers applying in person at the Licensing Division will be granted a temporary permit on the spot and receive expedited review.
If only ordinary citizens were treated so well by our public servants…
A Correctional Deputy that can show a documented threat against their well being or against their family’s well being should be able to get a Carry Permit. Look, I was a bail bondsman, with a felony marijuana charge on my record and I was able to get my employees hand gun permits, no problem. I couldn’t get one for myself, but I was able to sign off for my employees via letter of employment. The only additional requirements were showing Bank Deposit Slips in addition to the employment letter. The permit they gave my employees specifically stated, “While Working For An Authorized Bail Agent” or something similar to that nature. If I could sign off for my employee, I don’t see any reason why a letter from your employer, along with any documentation of additional reasons why the permit is requested, shouldn’t be enough to have the permit granted. You can cross reference “William A. Salesky” as the employee I am referring to.
I think I had to show that the Company had liability insurance also. Its been a while since I was a bondsman, so please forgive any lapses in recollection…..
Well they were celebrating at MaGerk’s.
Boy, I sure hope none of Gahler’s gathered friends, family and supporters were drinking and then driving home.
But I bet they were.
How about Gahler work on that one. Drunk driving.
Not just when you put out checkpoints on certain holidays but how about you handle things and catch them all leaving MaGerk’s and Looney’s on any given weekend?
Speed kills but I am less afraid of someone doing 11 miles per hour over the speed limit on a county road than I am getting hit by someone who was out having a few drinks at one the big local bars on the weekend.
Also, how about we stop letting the boys all get a pass and allowing them to drive as fast as they want off duty or turning a blind eye if they had a few too much to drink and drove home anyway?
I am tired of off duty cops being able to drive at speeds far exceeding the limit in their personal vehicles when off duty and getting a pass because they are cops. They should set an example across the board.
Same with drunk driving. Far too often these FOP events feature off duty cops having a few drinks and the lot of them would all blow over a .08 if anyone had the guts to check them.
I wan crime reduced and one of the worst crimes is drunk driving. Focusing on seatbelt citations is simply grabbing revenue as someone failing to click it is less of a worry for me than someone driving home from MaGerk’s after tying one on.
Congrats to Gahler but the truth is we are not going to see any differences.
The bad neighborhoods will still remain bad. The only new thing we will see with more “boots on the ground” will be revenue stops with tickets for speeding and seatbelt violations.
Again, these things are infractions so I am not saying they should not be policed but it is absolutely insane to see some off duty cops tipping a few back at local bars and then driving home knowing because of the thin blue line that they can do as they please rather than do as best sets a proper example.
New sheriff in town but it really will be the same old business with cops protecting cops and only focusing on the tickets that bring in revenue rather than stopping drunks from driving or worse from being on the streets.
I think the cellphone use while driving is even worse, since a person can’t tell at a glance if another driver is intoxicated or speeding, but a cellphone against the driver’s head while in a Harford County vehicle is extremely obvious.
If the Sheriff’s office uses cellphones for official communication that shouldn’t be on the radio, that’s fine, but buy bluetooth speaker phones or something for the cars so they set an example to the citizens of this county instead of flaunting the laws they enforce.
I don’t know what your experiences have been, but whenever I find myself near an obviously aggressive hammerhead driver – speeding, tailgating, weaving, etc., 7 times in 10 they’ve got either FOP or some volunteer fire department tag.
Nothing has changed at the Harford County State’s Attorney Office. Cassilly is still harboring the “Bad Guys” right in his office. Christopher Tabone is still nothing more than a liar that prosecutes people using “perjury” as a tool for convictions. The same goes for Cassilly. I am living proof of it. Joe Cassilly, you are nothing more than a criminal prosecuting criminals. Your office has no integrity or honor. The “liars” you are protecting in your office will have to answer for their crimes. As will you.
John Adam McCarty is your real name
Your Felony Drug conviction can be found in case Number 12-K-09-002034
Your other criminal conviction for threatening the police is 12-K-10-000013
Hate and slander will get you no where.
You lost your Bail Bonds License because the State of Maryland deems it appropriate that convicted drug felons should not be Bail Bondmen.
The Law suit against you for Slandering your defense attorney can be found in Anne Arundel Circuit Court:
Case Number: 02-C-12-166594
This is all Public Information.
*Drops Mic
you got knocked the “&%@$” out
Marcus, your wrong. The Felony Drug Conviction was gained unconstitutionally and illegally. There was no threat against a police officer, it was a fabrication by Scott Yosua and Christopher Tabone. There was no Slander against Edward Thomas Maxwell Jr, because everything I stated was true. The lawsuit was dropped for insufficient process. Maxwell didn’t pursue re-servicing the case because of interrogatory questions I asked that would have exposed him as a criminal, just like Christopher Tabone. An Insurance License, which is what you need to be a bail bondsman in the state of Maryland can be reacquired via a waiver after probation is complete. However, I will not be part of a Criminal Justice System that is corrupt and illegally convicted me, period. I do however, want to regain the license to use elsewhere, Maryland’s Licenses are easily transferred to other Jurisdictions because of Maryland’s stringent licensing process. I had already revealed my identity in previous Dagger articles. So what do you think you just accomplished? Nothing. Please, if you know so much, tell them the Coram Nobis contents for both the criminal cases listed, which outlines the illegal and criminal actions Cassilly’s corrupt State’s Attorney Office took against me. It also proved “Sean Marston” to be guilty of perjury. However, Cassilly does not wish to pursue that because he is corrupt.
Mic got picked up and the truth got told. SoulCrusher gets up and knocks out his opponents……
Hey Soul Crusher, you are a criminal. It’s funny because the majority of complaints about our judicial system and men/women in charge come from criminals and unproductive members of society. Get a real job and a life while you’re at it. No one here is taking you seriously but rather amused by your ignorance. It’s time to see changes!! Can’t wait to see hard working individuals compensated, finally! NO MORE HAND OUTS TO LOSERS LIKE YOU!
Hey Dumb Dumb, my complaint is valid and its for real. I don’t care what you think. Yes, I have been totally unproductive since my illegal and unconstitutional conviction. I don’t want your county’s money. Just Sean Marston’s and Christopher Tabone’s. As far as taking me seriously, that’s your prerogative. There is absolutely nothing you can type that makes me mad. Words are what they are words, but that Coram Nobis petition is 100% real and I believe 100% valid. I’m glad I amuse you, I aim to entertain. Now I didn’t call you names and there you are calling me a loser. Whatever, I’ll consider the source. After all, I’ve never had a Law Enforcement Officer from anywhere in Harford County that was able to tell the truth……..
Maryland Judiciary Case Search outlines your convictions.
They still stand. If they were illegal or unconstitutional why have they not been overturned?
So what are you saying? That the Police planted all the drugs in your home? or can you come out and admit what you did? So did your defense attorney conspire with the police and the prosecutors office and the judge and the appellate courts to frame you? Because the have nothing better to do?
And how can you have a gun or vouch for someone to get a gun being a convicted drug felon?
He can’t legally possess any firearm with a felony cds conviction in Maryland.
Do bondsmen carry firearms? I’ve seen some dressed up like police (bordering on impersonating), but is it mandatory?
Since you know so much, why don’t you go pull the file at the Circuit Court and read the Coram Nobis petition. I was growing my own pot for myself and a friend. The search carried out on my condo was completely illegal by the standards of 2009 and highly illegal today because it involved a dog sniff. My defense attorney conspired with the State’s Attorney Office and at least one Judge. They didn’t want Marshall’s plug getting pulled for knowingly writing bad warrants. I don’t now or have ever needed a gun. If you pull one on me, I’ll take it from you and make you eat it. Yes, the owner of a Bail Bonds Company can request a firearms permit for their employees. I did it on more than one occasion and never had any hang ups.
Nosy Neighbor, I never dressed up like anything other than myself. I wore blue jeans and a tee shirt most of the time, with a badge on my belt.
This has gotten completely off-topic. Stick to the story or your posts will be deleted.
Could call Aaron.
Good call Aaron.
Whenever I read Soul Man’s comments I think of that Jerry Reed tune……I don’t ever do anything wrong but I always get blamed….
Yawn…….
Bodway, a great choice. Too bad about Hopkins, that is what stinks about elected sheriff office – good people get put out like trash because of politics. County police force the way to go. but until then congrats to the new sheriff.
Every member of the Sheriff’s senior command staff accepts those positions with the knowledge that they become an “at will” employee. The senior command positions are not afforded the protections of merit based positions and that is understandable as the Sheriff should have the ability to choose and appoint their most senior commanders.
It is interesting that Ed Hopkins, after he was approached by Mr. Gahler prior to the election about possibly becoming the Chief Deputy if Gahler was elected, choose to approach Sheriff Bane and then become Bane’s Chief Deputy prior to the election. Maybe Hopkins felt a sense of duty that he needed to inform Bane about his conversation with Gahler. Whatever the reason, Mr. Hopkins made the wrong choice and will now have to see if Sheriff Gahler has a position for him in the new administration.
Both Steve Bodway and Mike Capasso are excellent choices for Chief Deputy and Warden. They both have extensive knowledge of the HCSO and the functions for which they will be in charge. In effect, they are not outsiders who lack institutional knowledge of the HCSO, both returning after long and distinguished careers in the HCSO.
I believe all of Sheriff Bane’s senior commanders (Majors) have at least 25 years service and would be eligible to retire with full retirement benefits. Some may be offered positions within the new administration. It would be their choice to accept the new assignments or retire with full benefits and launch new careers. I doubt anyone will be thrown out like trash!
Bodway,
You got what you were going after. Good for you. Now live up to all the BS you and your accomplises spread during this election. Take the name Mike Welsh and stick it where the sun doesn/t shine.
Since I’m not Steve Bodway, it will be impossible for him to take my name and place it where the sun doesn’t shine.
I am not associated at this time with the HCSO, nor will I be in the future.
Chuck e cheese. Do you think the sheriffs office gets to keep the money from the tickets they right ? Damn your dumb
You mean write? Right?
Pssst…did you mean: Damn you’re dumb?
According to a regional survey by a noted polling company, Harford County Sheriff’s Dept. deputies have eclipsed public school teachers as the biggest group of whiners in northeastern Maryland.
Yea I b dum yo!!!!!!
Is Gahler getting rid of that fat cow
She ain’t that big anymore. She got that operation that connects her mouth to her butt hole. But some officers thought that was going on before the operation.
That is no way to talk about Marc.
Marc or Sleepy Fred?
Seems like I recall one of Gahlers early complaints about Bane was that he had a command staff of hand picked yes-man. So, Gahlers first act is to hand pick a bunch of yes-men for his command staff. When will he be getting rid of the helicopter?
I don’t believe Sheriff Gahler will be looking for “yes men”. If you think that then you don’t know Gahler very well.
If there were complaints about Sheriff Bane’s pick for senior command staff when he began his second term they were directed to his promotion of a Lieutenant to the grade of Major, never having them serve in the grade of Captain. Bane passed over many Captains who were imminently more qualified than the Lieutenant.
This appointment has proven to be a thorn in Sheriff Bane’s side ever since he did it, and the reason is the individual he promoted was simply not qualified. Bane realized this about ten months ago and reassigned the Major. It was too little to late, the damage had already been done.
I understand Major Pressberry is now a meter maid….
So I am sure the Deputy Sheriff’s Union is kicking themselves in the behind for the disastrous endorsements they made. Bane…LOST….Cassilly…..WON…..Guards work at the jail…WRONG….Corrections Deputies work there. Thanks Tim for stating that the deputies are the ones the public sees. I’m sure you think that you have the only right to wear the uniform, but guess who else can wear the uniform and be called deputies. Your union took a vote and didn’t release the results till after you had time to consult. So the union didn’t endorse Bane overwhelming….Im sure your meeting with Sheriff Gahler is going to be awkward. Just remember one thing. The sun does not rise and set on the deputies. Everyone has skeletons in their closets. So I think you need to make amends and find out that not just LE deputies work for Harford County. Do ya think all the civilians and other staff just cater to your every need? WRONG they work for the citizens of Harford County and how does that humble pie taste? Bitter….toooooooooooooooooooo bad Oh and why would the future sheriff wanna hire someone who pled to charges. What is one of the rules of firearms training. Know your target and whats beyond and don’t shot at a moving vehicle.
Where does that leave Moore? Will he be moved to cell block H?
Is John Ryan still the cook at the detention center?
I would like to commend Jeff Gahler on running a good campaign and he will be a good Sheriff. I hope that he keeps the command staff because there is a lot of talent there. The command staff does have some legal rights that protect them, but I’m sure Jeff already knows that.
a newly minted lawyer who thinks he is ready for the supreme court?
Please tell me Gahler will use this opportunity to appoint an all new command staff. The same old faces seem to find their way back into the mix over and over. Eddie Hopkins does and has hopscotched all over Harford County, and the state, from job to job….doesn’t anyone else find that the definition of an opportunist? He is the quintessential yes-man….with a lust for being in the spotlight. Please Sheriff Gahler-give us some new faces and a clean slate all the way around. No more tarzans who won’t let go of one rope until they’ve grabbed onto another one. Start fresh with people who prove they are loyal straight shooters and not just power hungry!!
Sounds like skippy Swain begging to keep his job.
OMG! The truest words ever spoken in any Sheriff’s Office story on the Dagger. ROFLMGahler SupportingAO.
How’s that lawyer degree, that you got while being employed by HCSO, working for you now. You may have the degree, but where’d the common sense go? looks like you are in an appointed position. I’d go to the public defender before I hired you as my lawyer.
I don’t want to be a dick but some of these statements on here baffle the hell out me. First, mixing police work and politics has alway been a recipe for disaster. It creates separation in the ranks and adds separation and tension with the officers. Discussing politics at work is a bad idea period. I really can’t speak on how many people commenting on here that have been employed with HCSO, another agency or who are just on the outside looking in. I’ve seen a few comments about officers driving while using their cell phones. Given the nature of the job, it’s a requirement to have them and sometimes you have to use the phone because some thing’s don’t need to be out over the radio. It might be hard to believe but not every phone conversation an officer has while in a cruiser, witnessed by the public, is a personal call. That’s why we as police officers get a tax break for being required to have a cell phone. It’s become so easy to attack police officers for just about anything anymore yet, people still have a problem exercising personal responsibility for their actions. Every single person that posted something in reference to officers talking on a phone while driving has been guilty of it at sometime or another. Im not saying it’s right but don’t throw stones in glass houses. The new sheriff is going to have his hands full trying to restructure the department, figure out a game plan for high crime areas and staffing and repairing the DC. This should be a community effort, everybody pitching in to help make this county a better, safer place to live. Instead, people bitch about cops doing something they don’t like or not being around when they think they should be. Yet, it’s common place for the public to turn a blind eye to someone in need or assist the police when it comes time to help identify a suspect. And, everybody needs to stop this “Edgewood Inquisition”. It’s well known that the criminal element there is a problem. Focus also needs to be put on the drug and crime problem that exists in the more affluent areas of the county. No more does that get to be Harford County’s dirty little secret. Cheep and high end street drugs, heroin especially, have become a huge problem in our neighborhoods outside of the dreaded “40 corridor.” And let’s not forget the prescription pill epidemic this county has faced for the past 10 years. A lot of those issues should start by being dealt with in the home, by parents of teenagers getting wrapped up in all of it. The blame doesn’t fall directly on our local police departments. Hopefully our new sheriff has a plan for those issues, I trust that he does. But it seems people are worried about who was at what bar with who, who’s got a record and is posting on this website and other nonsense like that. I’ve lost friends and had current and former co workers injured due to the issues in this county. It really is time for a change. This petty bullshit needs to cease.
Niow that you got all of that bitching in the open, send me a fee of $200 as I read every bit of it. Perhaps, a job change would do you a world of good.
Get bent. I wouldn’t call it bitching, I said what needed to be said. And I did it without being anonymous, unlike yourself. And for you to put into question my career choice, not only are you mistaken but you probably have no idea what in the blue hell you’re talking about. Anonymously enjoy the services my fellow officers and I provide you daily, enjoy your safety. And if you’re going to enter a discussion, in a forum such as this you know, keep it relevant. Please don’t start something that doesn’t need to be started.
Yeah, we all appreciate what police do. That is why they are paid overtime, allowed to use their cars for personal trips, retire in 25 years, etc. You are bitching because that is what you do. Grow up and do your job.
Are you referring to the sheriff’s office car that sits in front of Saxon’s Jewelers in Bel Air several days a week? A little extra money at the county’s expense? I am sure that Gahler will correct this as soon as he is sworn in. How many deputies have second jobs as security personnel?
Ok genius, and obviously somebody who’s still mad about a ticket they got… I don’t get a take home car, my agency has a 30 year retirement yet people like myself have to deal with clueless numb nuts such as yourself. I don’t even get mileage traveling to and from things like other county, state and government employees do. So who’s bitching? I love what I do, even when dealing with the judgmental type such as yourself. I just hate to see my community having the issues it has. I brought up some pretty grown up issues and all you care about is a car and an alleged retirement. I’ll keep doing my job, I’ll even respond to help you in your time of need. That’s what professional grown ups do.
Professional grown ups don’t refer to others as “clueless numb nuts such as yourself”.
Most of your comments are on point, however, you degrade your comments when making comments as above or beginning your comments with “Bite me”.
I didn’t say bite me. What are you reading?
My comments are directed to Phil who had used that phrase in a previous post. Sorry for the confusion.
Thank you Phil for redirecting these petty rants. What is done is done. Doesn’t matter who I supported in the race but that the fine men and women of the HCSO continue to protect us. We can all sit back and throw stones but what does that accomplish? Nothing. Gahler is going to do his politicking just like everyone says Bane did. It’s happened since the beginning of our political history and will continue long after we are gone. If you don’t like the politics, move on. It is an unfortunate part of our society. I want to thank all of the men and women from the HCSO for doing what they do.