Baltimore's Public Safety Committee has a new chair. Advocates are demanding independent police oversight.

BALTIMORE — A new chair leads the Baltimore City Council's Public Safety Committee, and community oversight advocates say it's time to make police accountability a genuine priority.

The Baltimore City Police Accountability Board is welcoming Councilman John Bullock as the new chair of the Baltimore City Council's Public Safety Committee — but advocates say the leadership change must come with a renewed commitment to independent police oversight.

Board Chair Jamal Turner and former Civilian Review Board Chair Aaron Maybin are calling on city leaders to prioritize police accountability and push for transparent, independent investigations that give the community a stronger voice.

Turner said the board's expectations for the new chair are clear.

"Our primary concern is straightforward. Will police accountability be a genuine priority of the Public Safety Committee," Turner said.

Maybin said he is hopeful about working with Bullock but issued a direct challenge to the incoming chair.

"While I am excited about the opportunity to now work with our new uh uh chair uh Councilman Bullock, I also issued this challenge to him to value the community rather than uh uh uh dictating what uh behaviors or what actions you think are in that best uh their best interest without a conversation, without putting a plan in place that actually addresses the problem," Maybin said.

Maybin said independent investigatory power is critical to holding police accountable.

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