Yamada named assistant police chief; will continue to serve community

by Judith Hruz

Editor

Montgomery County Police Capt. Marc Yamada, who recently served as commander of the department’s 4^th District, is one of three new assistant police chiefs.

He is now responsible for the Field Services Bureau.

Police Chief Marcus G. Jones announced the appointments following the unanimous confirmation by the Montgomery County Council on June 29.

Assistant Chief Darren Francke is the new head of the Management Services Bureau and Assistant Chief Carmen Facciolo, the first civilian in that position, is the new head of the Community Resources Bureau.

All three began their roles immediately.

Yamada has been a well-liked commander who has participated in numerous community events in the greater Olney area since his appointment to the district’s top position in October 2017.

Yamada said he was born and raised in Wheaton and was assigned to the 4^th District – Wheaton – as a rookie.

“And my career came full circle when I became the district commander,” he said.

He has remained closed to the 4^th District – professionally and personally.

“I have lived in the 4^th District for my entire life and chose to raise my family, including four kids, in Olney over past 35-plus years,” Yamada said. The 4^th District was not just a place where I worked for eight to 10 hours a day, it is truly part of who I am.”

Yamada graduated from Wheaton High School and received his bachelor’s degree from Frostburg State University. He has served as a Montgomery County police officer since August 1988 and has worked in all four bureaus in the police department.

He has served the community as a patrol officer, a detective, a supervisor and now as an executive.

Yamada has a message for the community he served as commander: “I will certainly miss being your commander, but I promise you that Olney will remain close to my heart, and that I will continue to serve you in my new role.”

Chief, county executive praise three assistant chiefs

“These three gentlemen will be a tremendous asset to our police department,” Jones said during the June 28 County Council interview. “I have known Marc Yamada and Darren Francke for a long time and they are both fine police officers and executives, but they are also fine family men. I do believe we found a gem in Carmen Facciolo in his role as the assistant chief of the Community Resources Bureau.”

County Executive Marc Elrich congratulated the three new assistant chiefs.

“These appointments are significant because they are happening as we reimagine public safety in the county,” he said in a statement. “These new chiefs will play an important role in helping lead the department as we implement new procedures, policies and practices.”

He added that he is excited the police department has its first civilian assistant chief.

“This new and historic role will take the lead on working with the community directly to help build relationships and greater trust between officers and communities,” Elrich said. “Our residents deserve to have confidence that [Montgomery County Police Department] is serving and protecting everyone, no matter what neighborhood or ZIP code they live in.”

    Francke has been in law enforcement for nearly 25 years. He is a widower and lives in Montgomery County with his three daughters.

Francke graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1996 with a degree in Administration of Justice. During college he joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard as an enlisted infantryman. He subsequently attended Officer Candidate School and accepted a commission as a second lieutenant. He joined the Montgomery County Department of Police in 1996 and has served there since.

As a police officer and executive, Francke has served in every bureau of the department. His positions included patrol officer for all three shifts, district Investigations, robbery detective, homicide and sex detective, patrol sergeant and leadership development sergeant.

As an executive, he has served as a district deputy commander, Patrol Services executive officer, Training and Education Division director and Major Crimes Division director.

He has taught leadership nationally and internationally for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. His two most recent assignments were as a commander for the 1st District and 3rd District stations.

Facciolo joins the Montgomery County Police Department from the Bronx District Attorney’s Office where he served as a deputy chief overseeing the Strategic Enforcement and Intergovernmental Relations Division.

In that role, he directed all intelligence and crime strategies efforts, technical investigations including crime scene, photo, cell-site analysis, and digital forensics, forensic science services, strategic technology, the planning and analysis unit and the alternatives to incarceration bureau.

Facciolo served as the district attorney’s liaison to federal, state and local law enforcement, forensics and intelligence agencies, and managed her relationships with federal and state elected officials, local legislators, The Hill and stakeholder organizations.

Before joining the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, Facciolo served as a senior policy advisor with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Program. He was the primary architect of many national programs for the federal government, including the Body-Worn Camera Program, intelligence for law enforcement, human trafficking taskforces, mental health crisis responses and homicide and forensic investigations.

Prior to his federal service, Assistant Chief Facciolo provided technical assistance domestically, in the Middle East, The Northern Triangle, South America and Asia on behalf of the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Justice at the Center for Court Innovation.

Facciolo is a graduate of the University of Delaware and Harvard University, where he is pursuing a Master of Liberal Arts in Government. He has worked on political campaigns at the local, state and national levels. Most recently, he served as a policy advisor to Mayor Pete Buttigieg in his 2020 Presidential Campaign and as a policy committee member for the Biden/Harris 2020 Presidential Campaign.

Facciolo lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife.