Following the violence in Baltimore last year, legislators have been taking a close look at the relationship between police and the community
“One of the things we heard over and over this summer was that 'we want respect' and hopefully this bill will help in that vein,” said Delegate Curt Anderson (D-Baltimore), the co-chair for the public safety and policing workgroup that released 23 recommendations on improving police and community relations in January.
The bill would affect all Maryland police agencies starting with their hiring practices all the way through misconduct proceedings.
"It dealt with three broad areas, one is to improve the training for law enforcement agencies in Maryland, two, to address investigations and respond to police-involved incidents, and three, improving transparency of law enforcement operations across the state,” said House Speaker Michael Busch testifying on behalf of the bill.
See also: Hearing set for police accountability measure in Maryland
Community activists held a rally before the hearing showing their support for police reform but also expressing their reservations to certain provisions in the bill. The Maryland Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability called the make-up of the three-member trial board for an officer accused of brutality a "deal-breaker."
“The agency would choose one member of the trial board, the police officer would choose one member of the trial board and then the police officer, this is the accused, would have to agree with the agency on the third,” said Garland Nixon, an ACLU of Maryland board member. Instead, they’re calling for residents to serve on trial boards that determine disciplinary measures against officers that have engaged in misconduct.
Activists wore caution tape during the rally and throughout the hearing to signify that they were cautious about the bill being presented, but also cautiously optimistic that there could be meaning police reform moving forward.
“We want it to be meaningful and not just something done in haste to say that you did something. We have to make real reform,” said Larry Stafford Jr., the executive director for Progressive Maryland.
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Maryland Fraternal Order of Police President Vince Canales was present to testify against the bill. He said while he recognizes that there will be some future reforms, he doesn’t agree with changing the Maryland Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights. In addition, he expressed his opposition to the proposals that would require periodic psychological exams and would reduce the "10-day rule" that gives officers accused of misconduct 10 days to cooperate in an internal investigation to only five days.
“They’re addressing a perception issue they're not addressing the reality, and I think we all have a responsibility as well as the legislature to educate people and tell them what the real issues are here,” said Canales.
During the hearing, some judiciary committee members also questioned the scope of the bill and why it needs to affect every police department in the state versus just Baltimore City.
“There are problem areas we’ve had to deal with not just in Baltimore City but in Montgomery County as well as the Eastern Shore and we found similarities. And so, this bill represents changes in standardization that will occur for all police departments. Those that were already doing them fine. Those that need to adhere to some of the changes is what we need to get at,” said Anderson.
