Franklin Savage, Kelvin Sewell, and Lynell Green are African American former members of the Pocomoke City Police Department who bravely stood up against extreme racial discrimination on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. They served their community as officers, and they are now serving their community in their fight against discrimination.

Chief Sewell and Lt. Green have proudly achieved justice in that fight against Pocomoke City.  Their law enforcement careers ended when they stood up to support their colleague Detective Savage.  Detective Savage’s fight continues, and Chief Sewell and Lieutenant Green, along with the WLC and our co-counsel the ACLU of Maryland and Wiley Rein are confident that justice will prevail for him as well.

Franklin Savage always wanted to be a police officer.  His  dream was realized when he became an officer with the Pocomoke City police department.  Because of his skills as an officer, he was detailed to work with the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team, a joint drug task force made up of members of different agencies along the Eastern Shore.  As the CET’s only African American member, Savage  soon faced extreme racial harassment, including  taunts about the KKK and nooses and  being drawn on the bulletin as “outside of the circle of trust.”

After nearly two years of racist abuse and humiliation, Savage decided to file charges of discrimination with the EEOC.  Instead of support and protection, he was faced with retaliation. Other law enforcement agencies told savage that because of his discrimination complaint, they would not support his calls for back up when in the face of danger.  He was subsequently demoted without reason and ultimately terminated.

The discrimination in the Eastern Shore was not just limited to Detective Savage.  Lynell Green was an African American Lieutenant in Pocomoke City.  He attended a mediation with Savage to show his support and in response he faced hateful retaliation and the same warnings that he would not receive back up for any of his calls for help.  He was ultimately pushed to resign due to the difficult work climate.

Kelvin Sewell served as  Pocomoke City’s police chief.  During his tenure, the crime rate was down and he was beloved by residents.  After refusing to terminate Savage for filing an EEOC complaint,  he was fired.

On March 27, 2019, Chief Sewell and Lt. Green announced that judgment would be entered against Pocomoke City in the amount of $650,000.  The City will also enter into a consent decree with Sewell and Green for new policies and training to prevent future instances of discrimination in Pocomoke.  The large monetary award reflects the indignities that they faced as African American officers who stood up against unlawful discrimination.  The consent decree that they will have with the City means that they will continue to stand up against racial harassment in making sure what they and Detective Savage faced will not happen again.

The case continues for Detective Savage who has claims not only against Pocomoke City but Worcester County and the State of Maryland.  We are confident that he will be vindicated in his fight for justice as well.