Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced that Assistant Chief Hector Velez will serve as interim police chief for the Prince George’s County Police Department while the County conducts a national search for a new chief. Velez will take over for former Chief Hank Stawinski, who resigned last week.
“I have had the privilege of working with Chief Stawinski over the last decade, and I have enjoyed working with him,” County Executive Alsobrooks said. “He has served our police department and community well and with great integrity.”
“While we conduct a national search for a new chief, I know that Interim Chief Velez is immensely qualified and ready to step into this new role,” Alsobrooks said. “I am confident that he will bring his background and knowledge to his duties as interim police chief during this new season.”
According to the Prince George’s County Police Department:
Hector Velez began his 32 year law enforcement career as a Military Police Officer in the United States Army. During his six-year enlistment, he served in Frankfurt, Germany and Fort Meade, Maryland. In 1989, he accepted a position with the Howard County Police Department, Howard County, Maryland, and in 1994, accepted a lateral position with the Prince George’s County Police Department, Prince George’s County, Maryland.
During his 22 1/2 years with the Prince George’s County Police Department, Hector Velez served in a variety of assignments. Aside from patrol, he served as a property/personal crimes investigator and financial crimes investigator. Upon his promotion to the rank of sergeant, Hector Velez was assigned to the Internal Affairs Division. Shortly thereafter, he was assigned to the Special Investigative Response Team, which is responsible for investigating discharges of firearms, in-custody deaths, serious uses of force and criminal allegations of misconduct.
In 2004, Hector Velez was assigned to the International Association of Chiefs of Police as a research fellow. His duties included consulting and providing research assistance for the development of national and international law enforcement policy. Upon his return to the department, he was assigned to the Policy, Research, Management and Accreditation Division.
In 2007, Hector Velez was promoted to the rank of captain. Since then, he has held a variety of command and staff assignments including, Assistant Commander, District I station, Executive Officer to the Chief of Police, Chair of Administrative Hearing Boards, Commander, Police Personnel Division, Commander, District I, Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Patrol and Deputy Chief of the Bureau of Investigation.
Hector Velez holds an Associate’s degree in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Management and a Master of Science degree in Management from the Johns Hopkins University. He is also a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University Police Executive Leadership Program, the Police Executive Research Forum’s, Senior Management Institute for Police and the Major Cities Chiefs’ Police Executive Leadership Institute.
Stay tuned to Conduit Street for more information.
