First Police Civilian Review Board Green-Lit In Montgomery County

ROCKVILLE, MD — The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday unanimously adopted a bill to create the county's first civilian police review commission.

Bill 14-19 — spearheaded by council member Hans Riemer — establishes a 13-member board that aims to develop best practices on policing matters for the council to review.

The Policing Advisory Commission, as it's called, will allow appointed residents to help craft certain policies for the police department and strengthen the council's oversight role to prevent problems from occurring down the road. Of the 13 members, nine will be appointed by the council, and four will be appointed by the county executive. The police chief and the president of a police union will serve as non-voting members of the board.

The bill is part of a larger effort to improve the public's trust in law enforcement, which has deteriorated in recent years because of multiple alleged racial bias incidents, officials said.

Despite these incidents, Riemer — as well as his colleagues on the council — have routinely praised the 1,300-member force for serving and protecting Montgomery County, saying these interactions do not represent how other officers behave.

"We have an excellent police department staffed by conscientious public servants," Riemer said. "But we are not immune to the challenges that communities are facing all over the country. Montgomery County can be part of the solution by embracing a new approach that centers police work in community participation and community values."

In June 2018, Robert Lawrence White, 41, was fatally shot by Officer Anand Badgujar in the parking lot of a Silver Spring townhouse community. The incident was captured on the officer's body camera.

Police say White grew combative when Badgujar first approached him. Within minutes, White could be seen on video assaulting the officer. Badgujar can be heard firing his weapon when White knocked him to the ground.

Following the incident, Badgujar was placed on administrative leave. Authorities conducted an investigation and found that the fatal shooting was "lawful and justified."

White's death sent shockwaves through the region and served as a catalyst for the creation, and eventual passage, of a county police transparency bill.

Less than a year later, a video surfaced on social media that appeared to show a white officer using a racial slur while talking to black men.

The video was captured during an interaction between officers and four men accused of trespassing at a Silver Spring McDonald's. In the video, posted in May, a female police officer can be heard using the N-word. The incident is under investigation.

Two months later, a video circulated online that purportedly showed another officer using a racial slur and driving a knee into the face of a man in custody. The officer now faces criminal charges.

The new 13-member board, the council says, is different than a public oversight commission and public review board because it will not investigate or prosecute complaints brought against county cops.

"Those matters are retained under departmental procedures, and Montgomery County lacks the authority to create an effective public review board under current state law," the council said in a statement.

Instead, the commission will deliberate on policy issues and focus on best practices that officers should follow.

"Policy issues profoundly impact how communities experience police work. That is why it is necessary to have community input into the policy making process. Bringing all voices to one table will help everyone move forward together. Even where there is disagreement, hopefully there will be more understanding," Riemer said.