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Pocomoke City Settles with Former Police Chief & Officer

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BALTIMORE (AP) - A city on Maryland's Eastern Shore has agreed to pay $650,000 to resolve racial discrimination claims made by a former police chief and another black officer.

A court filing Wednesday says former Pocomoke City Police Chief Kelvin Sewell accepted a $450,000 settlement offer. The city agreed to pay $200,000 to former Police Lt. Lynell Green.

The settlement agreement doesn't resolve a third former officer's claims against the city.

A statement from the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland says the city also agreed to adopt policies and procedures regarding discrimination.

A federal suit, filed in 2016, claims the three black officers were mocked, threatened, falsely accused of misconduct and retaliated against because of their race.

Two attorneys for the city didn't immediately respond to a call seeking comment.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.