DOJ attempts to mend relations in Pocomoke

The Department of Justice (DOJ) was in Pocomoke City Wednesday in relation to the controversial firing of former police chief Kelvin Sewell, but they weren’t there to investigate.

In an exclusive recorded interview with Interim Police Chief Lt. Earl Starner with Maryland State Police Wednesday, 47 ABC learned that DOJ officials from the Department of Community Relations arrived in Pocomoke city Tuesday night.

Starner said the DOJ officials met with those in the community Tuesday night  and then met with police the following day to begin to mediate the broken relationship between government and the community in Pocomoke.

However, he added that there was some confusion in the community because DOJ investigators from a different department were supposed to be in town Wednesday.

the different division of the DOJ was scheduled to be here at the Pocomoke City Police Department today for a random survey of one of our grants>

Starner confirmed that the random survey has been rescheduled for a date in August.He says that branch of the DOJ is investigating the possible misuse of grant money.

Also on Wednesday,  the Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs partnered with Wiley Rein LLC to represent Sewell regarding his termination.

Sewell claims he was a victim of racial discrimination and unlawful retaliation for protected conduct under federal civil rights law.

As of Wednesday night,  no lawsuit has officially been filed.