At the 2021 MACo Summer Conference session, “Police Reforms: Putting Policies into Practice,” county leaders had a candid discussion about the future of police reform in Maryland and what it means for county government.
The session was moderated by Will Smith, Chair of the Senate Judicial Procedures Committee, and featured an array of important voices on the topic including: Senator Jill Carter of District 41; Albert Liebno, Executive Director of the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; and Montgomery County Sheriff Darren Popkin.
The panel discussed the passage of a suite of police reform bills that will overhaul the nature of police oversight and accountability, training, transparency, and liability. Of particular focus were remaining questions about where the State will land on officer discipline records and procedures, what new training will become essential, and what new structures will counties need to create and maintain. Panelists walked through all of these questions in the context of the bills going into effect next year.
Panelists agreed that while these are sometimes hard conversations to have, they are important ones that county leaders need to engage in.
The session was held on August 20, 2021, at the Roland E. Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, Maryland.
Learn more about MACo’s Summer Conference:
