The Montgomery Police Department (MPD) announced on Tuesday the hiring of 24-year Baltimore Police Department veteran chief Ettice Brickus to serve as the department's next chief of staff.
Brickus joined the department in July, following a lengthy tenure with the BPD, where she most recently served as deputy chief of the Neighborhood Patrol Division. She will now serve as second in command to MPD chief Jim Graboys, overseeing the day-to-day operations, policy development, budget administration and management.
"I am honored to serve the people of Montgomery and to support the men and women of the Montgomery Police Department," Brickus said. "My mission is to foster a culture of professionalism, transparency, and public service while continuing to build strong relationships with our residents and community stakeholders."
"Chief Brickus brings a deep well of knowledge, integrity, and forward-thinking leadership to our department," Graboys said. "Her passion for community-based policing and commitment to professional excellence makes her the right leader at the right time for Montgomery."
Brickus worked in multiple departments under various ranks while in Baltimore, with no apparent black marks on her record. She was named in several lawsuits during her time at BPD, mostly included among multiple others in leadership from officers claiming bullying or retaliation, including one male officer claiming Brickus "made fun of his pecs."
Brickus was featured in a critical 2018 article in a Baltimore publication, where she made the list of "Some of the kings and queens of police overtime in Baltimore."
The article claims that, during her time ascending the VPD ranks, her overtime pay had increased 535% from 2012 to 2017, with overtime accounting for nearly half of her $203,130 base pay in 2017.
"Assigned to central records, she has basically acted as a librarian for warrants," the article read. "She was listed in Judiciary Case Search as an arresting officer in just 10 cases over the last six years. During that time, her salary rose 43%, largely due to promotions, while her overtime pay soared by 535% ($15,825 in 2012 vs. $100,497 in 2017). Thanks to salary hikes and overtime payments, Brickus has become one of Baltimore's best paid civil servants. Her gross pay of $203,130 in FY17 was $30,000 more than the mayor's."
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