The Germantown Police Department is in mourning. Former Chief of Police Peter Hoell has died. GPD announced his passing on Facebook Wednesday morning. In the post, department leaders say that Chief Hoell served his entire career with Germantown, more than 30 years. The post goes on to explain that Hoell skipped his own college graduation to begin an undercover assignment with the Washington County Metro Drug Unit. Hoell rose through the ranks from patrol sergeant to lieutenant all the way up to police chief. He served in that final position for more than 16 years. "Chief Hoell conducted himself admirably and served with distinction," the post emphasizes. Hoell's service to his community went beyond his police work. In 2022, he also shared with TMJ4 his story of the clergy abuse he faced as a child. As difficult as it was to relive those experiences, Hoell said he wanted to help."If I can only help one person, it's worth it to me to open up to the public about my situation," he told TMJ4 at the time. Memorial services for Hoell have not yet been scheduled. Its about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for TMJ4 on your device.Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip