Police Transparency Bill Signed By County Executive

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has signed a bill that seeks to improve the public's trust in law enforcement and remove possible conflicts of interest in police-involved investigations.

Members of the County Council unanimously approved the Law Enforcement Trust and Transparency (LETT) Act on May 7. The bill — introduced by Councilmember Will Jawando in January — would require an independent and transparent investigation into a police officer-involved death.

The bill signing comes nearly a year after 41-year-old Robert Lawrence White was fatally shot by a Montgomery County Police officer in the parking lot of a Silver Spring townhouse community. White's death sent shockwaves through the region and served as a catalyst for the creation, and eventual passage, of the LETT Act.

"I am pleased by the overwhelming support by all of my colleagues on the Council in recognizing the importance of this measure," Jawando said.

"Directing an independent review of police actions, when an officer is involved in the death of a resident, will protect both the integrity of the inquiry and the civil rights of our residents, especially those of color," Jawando continued. "An independent criminal investigation guards against bias, and the perception of bias. This bill serves all involved — our officers, the prosecutors and our residents, and we believe that this transparency will build trust."

When speaking about this bill, Jawando refers to the shooting death of White, who was a Silver Spring resident. On June 11, 2018, White was shot by Officer Anand Badgujar, who had been with the county's police department for about two years. He was placed on administrative leave while the department investigated and the findings were reviewed by Howard County prosecutors, who declined to file charges.

An agreement between the Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office and the Howard County State's Attorney's Office says that when an officer-involved death occurs in one county, the other county's State's Attorney's Office will review the event.

Last month, Montgomery County Police published a five-page memo summarizing the results of the police-involved shooting investigation. The findings, which echo what the Howard County prosecutor's office reported, concluded that the fatal shooting of White was "lawful and justified."

Under the LETT Act, when an officer is involved in the death of an individual, the investigation must be conducted by at least two independent investigators employed by a federal, state, or another local law enforcement agency. The independent agents will then submit a report to the state's attorney. If no criminal charges are filed against the officer, the LETT Act requires that the report be released to the public.

SEE ALSO:

• Police-Involved Deaths To Get Independent Investigations
• Officer's Fatal Shooting Of Robert White Was Justified: Police
• Police-Involved Deaths May Get More Scrutiny, Hearing On March 5
• Police-Involved Deaths Could See Independent Investigations