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MPD officer on administrative leave after news story shines light on 'concerning behavior'

Commander William FitzGerald is not the first MPD officer to be under investigation due to concerning behavior in the last few months.

WASHINGTON — (Editor's Note: The video above is about a different MPD officer who was placed on administrative leave earlier this year)

A Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) commander has submitted his notice of retirement after department leaders said they learned of "concerning behavior" ahead of the release of an investigative news story. 

According to MPD, Fifth District Commander William FitzGerald submitted a notice of retirement and has been placed on administrative leave while officials investigate the claims against him. 

"Based on the information provided to us, our Internal Affairs Bureau initiated an investigation," said an MPD spokesperson. 

It has not been explained what the news investigation has uncovered, nor what "concerning behavior" MPD was made aware of. 

FitzGerald has been with MPD since March 1990. In 2001, FitzGerald was named Investigator of the Year in the Fourth District. He later became commander of the Fifth District in June 2015. 

FitzGerald is not the first MPD officer to be under investigation in the last few months.

In February, MPD Chief Robert Contee announced an unnamed lieutenant was placed on administrative leave as the U.S. Attorney's Office and FBI investigated potential misconduct. The details of what exactly that misconduct included have still not been released, however, sources told WUSA9 it was due to potential ties to white supremacists. 

MPD said there is no connection between the investigations into FitzGerald and the lieutenant. 

Also in February, a retired MPD officer was arrested in Florida on charges of unlawful sex with a minor. Brett Parson, the former head of MPD's LGBT Liaison Unit (LBGTLU), is accused of meeting a 16-year-old for sex after communicating on a dating app. 

In December of 2021, another MPD officer was arrested on child sex abuse charges when 49-year-old Lucius Kearney was accused of sexually abusing an underage girl on multiple occasions in D.C. between September 2005 and June 2006. 

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