A 911 dispatcher made threats toward police, then stayed on the job

A November DUI arrest of a Harford County dispatcher has ignited a bitter public feud between Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler and County Executive Bob Cassilly, with both officials trading accusations of incompetence and political manipulation over the handling of the case.

What began as a personnel matter has escalated into a full-blown political confrontation, with the Sheriff’s Office releasing body camera footage and internal memos to counter what Gahler calls “intentionally misleading” statements from the Cassilly Administration.

The Timeline: Nadene Letonya Smith was arrested November 16 for DUI, fleeing and eluding, and traffic offenses. The Cassilly Administration was notified November 17. Senior staff heard audio within ten days. A formal complaint with full details was sent January 16. Cassilly released his criticism of the union president in late January, prompting Gahler’s detailed rebuttal.

Background on the Arrest: On November 16, Harford County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Kanner arrested Nadene Letonya Smith for fleeing and eluding, driving under the influence, and other related charges. Smith refused to submit to an intoximeter test.

During and after her arrest, Smith engaged in repeated hostile and threatening verbal conduct toward on-scene deputies. According to the formal complaint memorandum from Major Lee Dunbar to DES Director Rick Ayers, Smith directed profane insults at deputies including “bitch,” “fucking bitch,” “fucking clown,” and “dirty ass bitch.” She made explicit threats stating “I hope somebody blow your fucking head off. That’s why the fuck nobody likes cops now…Fuck you” and later repeated “I hope somebody blow your head off any motherfucking way, on any given day, Bitch.”

Smith repeatedly identified herself as a dispatcher during the incident, stating “I’m a fucking dispatcher, bitch” and “I hope they know that it’s a motherfucking dispatcher, bitch.” She made numerous profane statements directed at the arresting deputy and assisting deputies, including threats toward their families. Smith also kicked the back of the passenger seat plate for approximately three minutes during transport to the Harford County Detention Center Inter-Agency Processing Center despite being advised to stop.

All of these comments and actions were captured on HCSO Axon body-worn and in-car cameras. Smith was later found guilty in District Court.

What’s Still Unknown: Whether Smith will be terminated or reassigned, and whether this public feud between the Sheriff and County Executive will have broader political ramifications in Harford County government.

What’s Happening:

• Sheriff Gahler released an official statement accusing County Executive Cassilly of falsely claiming his administration lacked information to act on the case and of defending the arrested dispatcher.
• The Sheriff’s Office provided documentation showing the Cassilly Administration was notified the day after the November 16 arrest and received audio of threatening comments within ten days.
• A detailed 5-page memorandum with full incident details and transcripts was sent to DES and Human Resources directors on January 16, yet the dispatcher remained in her emergency call-taking position.

At Issue:

• Cassilly attacked the President of the Deputy Sheriff’s Union in a press release, claiming the union’s concerns were unfounded and politically motivated.
• Gahler accused Cassilly of “complicity and/or incompetence” for allowing dispatcher Nadene Letonya Smith to remain in a critical public safety role for two weeks after being fully informed of the incident.
• The Sheriff’s Office denied an initial video request from the County Law Department on November 18 because the case had not been adjudicated, but released footage after Smith was found guilty in District Court.
• County Government submitted a new request for the video on January 22, 2026, after the footage became publicly available.

How This Affects Real People: The political battle between the Sheriff and County Executive has overshadowed serious public safety concerns about whether someone who made threatening comments toward law enforcement should handle emergency 911 calls.

The Dispute: Gahler insists his office provided all necessary information weeks ago and that county employees can be reassigned during investigations without violating due process. Cassilly claims he couldn’t act without video evidence that the Sheriff’s Office withheld.