Carroll County FOP Lodge 20

06/11/2026

There has been considerable discussion surrounding the Carroll County State’s Attorney race as early voting begins. The members of the Carroll County Fraternal Order of Police would like to remind voters that our organization proudly endorses and supports Allan Culver for Carroll County State’s Attorney.

In March, our organization invited candidates seeking various offices to meet with our membership over the course of two evenings. Following those meetings, our members were surveyed, and Allan Culver was overwhelmingly selected as the candidate our membership wished to support in the State’s Attorney race.

The men and women of law enforcement in Carroll County serve this community with integrity, professionalism, and honor. We care deeply about the safety and well-being of our citizens, and we believe Allan Culver is the best candidate to continue helping make
Carroll County one of the safest counties in Maryland.

Members of the Sheriff’s Office and our municipal police departments have worked alongside Allan Culver for many years. During that time, we have witnessed his commitment to justice, his professionalism, and his leadership within the State’s Attorney’s Office. We have seen him successfully prosecute cases, remove dangerous criminals from our streets, and demonstrate exceptional skill and preparation in the courtroom.

We have also witnessed Allan’s dedication firsthand. Time and again, he has responded to major crime scenes in the middle of the night—not because he had to, but because he understands that a successful prosecution begins at the scene of the crime. He
recognizes the critical role law enforcement plays in building strong cases and understands that effective prosecution depends on a true partnership between prosecutors and police officers.

For Allan Culver, that partnership is more than a campaign talking point—it is how he has conducted himself throughout his career. When our members need guidance, have questions, or require assistance, Allan is available and willing to help. When we call, Allan Culver answers. Even during his time as Acting State’s Attorney, Allan continued to offer that assistance and guidance when he could have easily delegated those duties
elsewhere. But that is not who Allan Culver is. Allan Culver is a prosecutor to his core and whether he is a prosecutor in District Court, Circuit Court, or THE State’s Attorney of Carroll County, he will continue to be a valuable partner to law enforcement who shows up to help those wearing the badge. Because of his commitment to collaboration Allan has earned the respect of law enforcement officers throughout Carroll County.

A strong working relationship between law enforcement and the State’s Attorney’s Office is essential to ensuring justice is served in cases ranging from minor offenses to the most serious crimes. Allan Culver has consistently demonstrated that he values and supports that partnership.

Our members respect Allan Culver because he has earned that respect through years of service, dedication, and results and quite frankly, he respects our profession and those of us who risk our lives in keeping Carroll County safe. We are proud to endorse him for Carroll County State’s Attorney.

The FOP is not oblivious to the commentary out there questioning Allan Culver’s integrity. We will say this: our organization simply would not overwhelmingly support someone who we believe has questionable integrity. It really is that simple. Those of us who have known Allan and worked with him for many years know that Allan Culver is a man of integrity.

Some may not realize that the role of State’s Attorney goes beyond the walls of the State’s Attorney’s Office or the courtroom. It includes connecting with the community, attending events, and interacting with citizens. Allan Culver does that and has done that for many years. Not only that, but it also requires a presence in Annapolis to testify in support of bills that help fight crime and to testify against bills that make our community less safe. Allan Culver has done that and will continue to do so. Allan commonly works with our Carroll County delegation in Annapolis.

As a prosecutor and Carroll County resident for over 24 years, Allan Culver has prosecuted several cases that have resulted in life sentences, effectively making our community safe from dangerous criminals. In fact, Allan Culver is the only prosecutor in Carroll County who has prosecuted two separate cases where the defendant received life without the possibility of parole which is the maximum sentence in Maryland. In Carroll County, that is an impressive accomplishment. Just last week, the State’s Attorney’s office secured a life sentence without the possibility of parole in a high-profile murder case. While Allan Culver did not prosecute that case, it is a testament to the skill of the prosecutors in the Carroll County State’s Attorney’s office and their commitment to
the critical partnership with law enforcement.

We at the FOP encourage everyone to get out to vote in the primary election and we humbly ask that you stand with those of us who work so hard to keep Carroll County safe and vote Allan Culver for State’s Attorney.

04/24/2026

President Owens attended Todd Tracey’s fundraising luncheon last Saturday as a guest speaker, praising Todd Tracey’s strong foundation in public safety and grasp of the challenges faced by our members. Todd Tracey for Carroll County

04/15/2026

Sunday June 7th, 2026! Doors Open at 10:00AM, Bags Fly at 11:00AM
This event is open to the public and free to attend, you only pay if you want to compete in the tournament!
$5,000 STARTING Prize Payout!
Carroll County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 20
All proceeds will benefit The Officer Assistance Fund
This fund provides support to law enforcement officers during times of need, such as injuries or instances of wrongful prosecution.
Singles - $25
Teams - $50
4 Games of Rounders for seeding and into Double Elimination Bracket
Multiple Divisions for Singles and Teams - Social, Competitive, Advanced, Open
Co-Ed Doubles
Women's Singles
Sit N Gos available throughout the day as boards become available.

Registration can be done by downloading the Scoreholio app on any mobile device or in person. Please arrive early to register.
Raffles and 50/50's throughout the event.
Great food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Sponsors can sign up by contacting Kyle Sheeks at [email protected].

04/02/2026

After a long endorsement process and selection by all of the members of Carroll County FOP lodge 20 we ask that you vote for the following candidates on June 23rd, 2026:

Sheriff: Jim DeWees
State's Attorney: Allan Culver
Commissioner District 1-Joe Vigliotti
Commissioner District 2-Todd Tracey
Commissioner District 3-Tom Gordon
Commissioner District 4-Mike Guerin
Commissioner District 5-Susan Krebs
State Delegate District 5-Chris Tomlinson, April Rose, Steve Whisler
State Senator District 5-Justin Ready
State Delegate District 42C-Steve Patten
State Senator District 42-Adam Wood
Circuit Court Clerk-Heather DeWees

All of these candidates have proven and pledged to support public safety in Carroll County. We ask that you support them on June 23, 2026.

03/16/2026

Statement from President Ash Owens on the recent resignation of Chief David Snyder from the Hampstead Police Department:

It is a fact that David Snyder is currently under investigation by the Office of the State Prosecutor. I can confirm this because I am the complainant in that investigation. In October 2025, I sent a letter to the mayor, town council, town manager, and other town officials informing them that this investigation was underway.

Through multiple Public Information Act (PIA) requests submitted to the Town of Hampstead, I have obtained records indicating that David Snyder refused to refer certain disciplinary cases stemming from citizen complaints to the Carroll County Administrative Charging Committee, as required by law. This occurred even after officers within the department advised him that the cases were required to be referred to the Administrative Charging Committee. The Fraternal Order of Police also raised these concerns when it was brought to our attention by concerned officers.

In some instances, the officers involved in the investigations themselves informed Chief Snyder that the matters should be submitted to the Administrative Charging Committee, yet he still refused to do so. Even more troubling, the records I obtained indicate that Chief Snyder misled the Administrative Charging Committee and misrepresented facts to that body. Such actions represent a serious breach of public trust and must be addressed.

If the Administrative Charging Committee is misled or provided inaccurate information, it undermines the integrity of the disciplinary process and raises serious questions about whether officers can receive fair and impartial outcomes and whether the public can trust the process.

I have evidence supporting these claims, and that evidence was obtained directly from the Town of Hampstead through official records requests. While the town may claim that these concerns can be refuted, the documents speak for themselves.

On multiple occasions, I attempted to bring these concerns to the attention of town officials in the hope that they would recognize the seriousness of the matter and initiate their own investigation. Unfortunately, those concerns were dismissed and my complaints have been characterized as baseless. They are not. It was then that I submitted a complaint to the Office of the State Prosecutor and an investigation was initiated.

The citizens of Hampstead deserve transparency and accountability from their leaders. Certain documents and information are currently being sought from the town by other entities outside of the FOP. These documents are subject to release under the Public Information Act, however, the requests are being denied. The public deserves to know why.

It is also important to be clear that the rank-and-file officers of the Hampstead Police Department are not responsible for this situation. They serve their community with professionalism and dedication. In fact, most, if not all of the complaints that I reviewed that were withheld from the Administrative Charging Committee had investigations associated with them that ultimately found the allegations to be unfounded or supported the officers’ innocence. Those officers likely would have been formally exonerated had the proper process been followed. Those Officers deserve to have their exoneration letter from the administrative charging committee but David Snyder denied them that.

Finally, David Snyder’s resignation does not resolve these issues. By resigning and accepting a position in another state, he appears to be avoiding accountability for his actions while leaving the Town of Hampstead and its police department to deal with the consequences. The public should demand to know why these complaints were not taken seriously when they were brought forth by the FOP in October of 2024. Almost 18 months ago.

The letter that I sent to the town in October 2025 informing them of the State Prosecutor’s investigation and the concerns that I have was not well received and in a response letter from the town attorney I was told that my “assertions” were “apparently based on no more than the representations of certain individuals with their own points of view influenced by their own individual circumstances”. The letter went on to say that the town has seen no documentation that would suggest any wrongdoing much less the sort described in my letter. I can attest that in my letter I described the evidence that led to my conclusions and provided relevant case numbers. One would simply have to look at the documents that I described in order to reach the conclusion that I came to. Make no mistake, my “assertions” are not simply based on rumor and innuendo, they are based on documented evidence.

Actions like these erode public trust. The people of Hampstead deserve transparency, accountability, and leadership that upholds the integrity of the law. The men and women of the Hampstead Police Department deserve leadership that they can trust.

03/14/2026

Two days spent in Annapolis this week testifying for Senate Bill 0449 and House Bill 0878 for Carroll County Correctional Deputies. Thank you to Sheriff DeWees and Matt Engler from BSG Law for their support of these bills and their testimony. Special thanks to the Carroll County Delegation for introducing the bills and thanks to Senator Justin Ready and Delegate Chris Tomlinson for their testimony this week.

11/13/2025

Since the Carroll County Times did not want to include our actual quote in their most recent article about Sheriff DeWees, here is the actual statement we gave to the Times:

The Carroll County Fraternal Order of Police is aware of the recent allegations involving Sheriff DeWees. At this time, We will not be making any judgements or assumptions regarding the matter. We believe that all individuals are entitled to due process and a fair opportunity to respond to any claims made against them.

The Carroll County Fraternal Order of Police is not aware of any allegations of misconduct against Sheriff DeWees from anyone in our membership. Since his election in 2014, Sheriff DeWees has been a strong advocate for the men and women of the Carroll County Sheriff's Office and his effective leadership has helped to make the Carroll County Sheriff's Office a model law enforcement agency that is committed to serving the community. The Carroll County Fraternal Order of Police has developed and continues to maintain a positive relationship with Sheriff DeWees. It is without question that Sheriff DeWees is committed to ensuring that the Deputies of the Carroll County Sheriff's Office are supported in the work that they do day in and day out.

Our organization remains committed to supporting the men and women of law enforcement who serve the community with integrity, professionalism, and respect.

We will refrain from any further comment at this time.

Commissioner Ken Kiler said no formal complaints have been made to the Sheriff’s Office about such relationships, but the agency is requesting the investigation in the interest of transparenc…

05/27/2025

The Carroll County FOP lodge 20 would like to thank everyone who attended and made our second annual co****le tournament another success. Special thanks to all of our volunteers who made this all possible. Congratulations again to all of the winners!

05/25/2025

We are almost ready for our second annual co****le competition! Come out today to the Carroll county Ag center located at 706 Agricultural Center dr. Westminster, Md 21157. Registration starts at 10 and bags start flying at 11.