From the Ground Up: Implementing Police Accountability at #MACoCon

State and County officials come together to discuss a new era of police accountability in Maryland as sweeping legislation continues to roll out across the state. 

The Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021 established a sprawling matrix of entities that are meant to investigation and establish consequences for police misconduct. At the county level, three-tiers of oversight were established: Police Accountability Boards, Administrative Charging Committees and Trial Boards. Additionally, on the state level, the Attorney General’s Office was required to establish the Independent Investigations Division which is tasked with investigating all police-involved incidents that result in the death of a civilian or injuries that are likely to result in the death of a civilian occurring in the State of Maryland.

More than a year since the passage of legislation, state and county officials come together to discuss how implementation has fared. Hear from the individuals on the ground about where we’ve come from and where we are going in this historic era of police accountability.

Title: From the Ground Up: Implementing Police Accountability

Description: With the passage of new legislation, counties have been building out the most robust police accountability program Maryland has seen to date. The creation, filing, and staffing of three new entities will lay the foundation for responsible policing in the years to come. Each county will assemble a Police Accountability Board, Administrative Charging Committees, and Trial Board. Establishing new procedures and infrastructure brings the added challenge of forming a seamless framework to inspire the confidence of future generations. This expert panel will share both the successes and challenges of implementation and suggestions for counties still working to get their programs online.

Speakers:

  • Rhonda Weaver, County Attorney, Prince George’s County
  • James R. Benjamin, County Attorney, Baltimore County
  • Wayne Silver, Executive Director, Maryland Police Standards and Training Commission
  • Dana Mulhauser, Chief, Independent Investigations Division, Maryland Office of the Attorney General

Moderator: The Honorable Will Smith, Maryland State Senate

Date/Time: Wednesday, January 4, 2023; 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

MACo’s Winter Conference, “Hit the Ground Running,” will be held at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Hotel in Cambridge, MD from January 4-6, 2023 (with a pre-conference orientation for new county officials on January 3).

Learn more about MACo’s Winter Conference: