New Carrollton police chief files complaint against city, mayor fires him

NEW CARROLLTON, Md. — The police chief in one Prince George’s County community plans to file a legal complaint against the city he worked to keep safe for almost two decades after the mayor suddenly fired him.

New Carrollton Police Chief David Rice said he was informed he would no longer oversee the city’s department Tuesday. Rice said he learned about the move in a letter that cited concerns about his leadership in the community over the last three years.

The former chief said the move did not come entirely as a surprise since he and New Carrollton Mayor Phelecia Nembhard had a string of disagreements over the last several years. Rice claimed after he had a triple bypass last year, and subsequent heart surgery, the city made it hard for him to return to work, despite multiple suggestions from doctors that he could do so.

Rice added he also came under fire from Nembhard after he asked an independent police agency to investigate the case of former New Carrollton Police Officer Jeffery Harris.

Harris stood accused of assaulting a man during an arrest. Non-law enforcement officials decided to give Harris a new job in New Carrollton city government despite being convicted in connection to the case.

“She didn’t like that we farmed [the investigation] out,” he said. “[She felt] that I should’ve done it in-house because he never would’ve been prosecuted if we done it in-house.”

But, Rice said, as police chief, there were certain rules he had to follow.

“I’m not so fast to go along with certain scenarios,” he said. “I have to stay on that border of legal, ethical, and moral.”

Rice said he has decided to file an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Complaint against the city for wrongful termination.

According to New Carrollton’s website, Rice became its first police chief 18 years ago. He said it’s sad his tenure in the city came to an end like this.

“I have no regrets,” he said. “I would’ve loved to just go out on my own terms.”

Rice’s firing comes amid the backdrop of the upcoming mayor’s race in New Carrollton, which will take place May 1.

WUSA9 requested to speak to Mayor Nembhard about Rice’s firing over the phone. She said she could not talk because she was driving and that she planned to contact the station later.