December 26th, 2020 by WCBC Radio
In a lengthy news article in Saturday’s edition of the Cumberland Times News, a Maryland State Police report outlines allegations of prostitution, drug distribution and sexual harassment that surround the sudden exit of Allegany County Department of Emergency Services officials nearly two years ago. Former EMS Diector Dick DeVore and former EMS Division Chief Robert “Bobby” Pattison both left the department early in 2019 amid rumors of inapropirate activites alleged to have been occurring at the EMS department. No reasons were provided at the time for the abrupt decisions as County elected officials and then county administrator Brandon Butler cited personnel policies that prohibited them from commenting. Saturday’s Times News article features extensive details of the police investigation into the matter.
The Times-News asked DeVore about the police investigation and allegations.
In response, he provided a written statement.
“Upon careful evaluation, I have come to the conclusion that this chapter of my life is closed,” DeVore said. “Over the last two years, I have made considerable progress in healing. I have no desire to derail that or to use this as an attempt at vindication, but will merely let the findings of the investigation, completed in mid- 2019, stand.”
He wrote about the situation in a multi-part post on Facebook.
“This is my testimony and I own it so I will share it,” DeVore wrote.
“In early January of 2019, God took control,” he wrote. “He allowed things to unravel and become visible. Things that I wanted to keep hidden and out of the light of the public. Bringing them out was God’s way to waking me up and taking control. How bad was it you say? In one case, there was an accusation of solicitation that prompted a police investigation. The results determined no evidence of any violation of law. I was accused of covering up a sexual harassment charge in my department. This was not true but there was the allegation to deal with.”
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