Montgomery Bill Seeks To Tackle Community Policing Guidelines

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County lawmakers introduced legislation on Tuesday that would establish community policing guidelines and annual reporting requirements for the county police department.

Bill 33-19, sponsored by Council President Nancy Navarro and council member Craig Rice, comes as government leaders look for ways to improve the public's trust in law enforcement. Within the last two years, numerous police officers have been accused of racial profiling or using excessive force.

In 2018, Robert Lawrence White, a 41-year-old black man, was fatally shot by a Montgomery County police officer in the parking lot of a Silver Spring townhouse community. And in May, video surfaced on social media of a white officer using the N-word while talking to a group of black men reportedly loitering at a McDonald's.

If passed, the bill would create guidelines designed to provide adequate training in de-escalation tactics, encourage police officers to engage in community activities, and ensure cultural competency within the department, officials said.

"While our County police department does a great job each and every day protecting our community, we want to continue to improve the relationship between our police officers and our residents," said Navarro. "We often don't realize that most of the officers serving our community are also our neighbors and we need to build on that relationship. This bill is designed to bridge that gap and to strengthen community-oriented policing strategies in our community."

The bill would also require the department to submit an annual report on the number of use of force instances that resulted in hospitalization, the number of civilian complaints, the number of officers suspended with and without pay, and other key data.

"Our Montgomery County police officers play a key role in ensuring our County is a safe place to live, work, and play," said Rice. "That is why we need to ensure our officers are building and maintaining relationships with all of our residents and communities. The community policing bill represents the County's commitment to transparency and accountability, cultural competency, and the use of preventative measures for positive relations between our enforcement officials and the residents of Montgomery County."

A public hearing on the bill is scheduled for Jan. 21, 2020. Residents can sign up for public hearings here: https://montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/PHSignUp.html