Grand Jury Returns 11-Count Indictment Against Former Police Captain

Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III announced today that the Grand Jury sitting in Allegany County has returned an 11 count Criminal Indictment against Cumberland Police Department Captain James Burt, charging him with 6 counts of Misconduct in Office, 4 counts of Second-Degree Assault, and 1 count of Fourth Degree Sex Offense.

According to the charging document, Captain Burt, who served as a sworn law enforcement officer with the Cumberland Police Department (the “Department”) since approximately 2003 and as its Captain since 2021, completed numerous trainings and courses in leadership, ethics, police misconduct, and defense tactics, among other topics.

The charging document alleges that Captain Burt regularly physically assaulted younger female officers within the Cumberland Police Department, by applying various pain compliance pressure points to them while they were working. Pain compliance pressure points target nerve bundles and sensitive areas to cause pain, for the purpose of garnering compliance from a noncompliant suspect, typically during an arrest. These techniques were taught to Captain Burt during defense tactics trainings that he attended as an officer. The Indictment alleges that Captain Burt assaulted three female victim officers of the Cumberland Police Department by applying these pressure points to them on various occasions.

According to the charging document, Captain Burt is additionally alleged to have assaulted a former Cumberland Police Department Officer on at least two different occasions after she had left the Department and joined the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office. Further, Captain Burt is alleged to have approached one of the victims in the stairwell of the Department and kissed her neck in a sensual manner, without her consent.

“Supervisors of law enforcement agencies are vested with significant powers to discharge their important duties and lead their departments,” stated Howard. “Our office will continue to investigate and where appropriate prosecute any allegations that a police officer abused those powers by victimizing subordinate members of the very department they were entrusted to lead.”

The Office of the State Prosecutor would like to thank the Maryland State Police for their assistance in this investigation and the Cumberland Police Department for their cooperation and professionalism throughout the investigation. All individuals who are charged with a criminal offense are presumed to be innocent.