State to open investigation into hiring of Greensboro officer involved in Anton Black’s death

By: Yvonne Wenger, capitalgazette.com

State officials will investigate the hiring of the Greensboro police officer involved in the death of Anton Black, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services spokesman said Saturday.

Gerard Shields said the agency would launch an investigation into why a complete record of Thomas Webster IV’s policing history was not sent to the public safety department when state officials were asked to consider granting the officer police powers in Maryland so he could join the force in the small Eastern Shore town. The investigation will not begin until the Maryland State Police complete its probe, Shields said.

Shields said some of Webster’s personnel records — including incidents involving “use of force” — were not included in an application sent by the Greensboro police to the public safety department for certification consideration when Webster was hired. Shields said Webster was granted provisional certification in January 2018 and final approval last May.

Full story: https://www.capitalgazette.com/bs-md-investigation-officer-anton-black-20190209-story.html