Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said Friday that he requested the resignation of Police Chief Marc Yamada following the release of an Office of the Inspector General investigation that substantiated misconduct allegations involving leave, attendance and statements made during the investigation.
Earlier Friday, the Montgomery County Department of Police announced that Yamada had resigned effective September 18 and that Assistant Chief Darren Francke would serve as acting chief until a permanent chief is appointed. Yamada had led MCPD since July 2024 after spending approximately 35 years with the department before becoming chief.
The Inspector General’s report did not identify Yamada by name, instead referring to the subject as an “MCPD executive.” Elrich’s subsequent statement identified the investigation as the basis for his decision to request Yamada’s resignation.
According to the report, investigators found that between July 2024 and July 2026, the executive generally did not record leave despite sometimes being unavailable during regular work hours. Investigators identified at least five days totaling 40 hours when the executive was out of the office without taking leave or adjusting the work schedule. The report noted that the executive’s position was exempt from County Personnel Regulations governing leave, but concluded that the absences violated an MCPD directive requiring employees who are absent from duty to take leave.
The investigation also examined a police foundation golf tournament attended by the executive during working hours. The executive told investigators that the event was attended in a private capacity and acknowledged consuming approximately two alcoholic beverages. The report said no leave was recorded for the day. It also noted that if the executive was not on duty, the alcohol consumption would not violate County policies prohibiting drinking or intoxication while on duty.
The OIG also found that a County-employed relative accompanied the executive to an out-of-state work conference. According to investigators, the executive initially said they had not participated in selecting the relative for the assignment, but the investigation determined that statement was false and that the executive had selected the relative. The OIG concluded that the false statement violated a County law prohibiting false or misleading information in connection with an investigation.
Investigators separately found that the executive directed that a County vehicle be provided to an Office of the County Attorney employee without establishing restrictions on its use. The employee subsequently used the vehicle for commuting, personal business and transporting people not affiliated with the County, according to the report. Required approval for work-to-home use had not been obtained.
“Trust and integrity are fundamental to public service, particularly for those entrusted with leading our police department,” Elrich said. “Based on the findings of this investigation, I determined that a change in leadership was necessary.”
The OIG recommended that the County consider recovering the equivalent of 40 hours of pay, clarify time and attendance requirements for employees exempt from personnel regulations, require supervisory review of MCPD timecards, clarify rules for attending social events during working hours and review vehicle assignments to civilian staff. The matter was also shared with the County Ethics Commission.
Elrich said the County will implement the Inspector General’s recommendations and work to ensure its policies are clear and consistently enforced.
