Prince George's County Police Reform Report Calls For Expanded Oversight Panel, Countywide Use-Of-Force Statute
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (WJZ) -- A police reform workgroup formed in July has submitted its report outlining recommended changes to the Prince George's County Police Department amid nationwide calls for changes to policing.
Included in the more than 100-page report are recommendations covering oversight, community engagement and recruitment.
The report calls for creating "a more robust and equitable" Citizen Complaint Oversight Panel as well as internal policy and regulation changes, including limiting pre-textual stops to reduce racial profiling, reforming no-knock and night-time search warrant policies and creating a countywide use-of-force statute.
Also included in the report are recommendations to invest in mental health programs and counselors to respond to cases involving students and others in distress as well as heightened mental health training for officers.
The group is made up of nearly two dozen members with backgrounds ranging from law enforcement to criminal justice reform.
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In a news release, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said she will review the recommendations to see which will be implemented.
In 2020, multiple officers in the county were charged in cases tied to their police duties, including an officer who was charged with second-degree murder for shooting a handcuffed man inside a squad car in January. That case led to a $20 million settlement.
The department's former chief, Hank Stawinski, resigned in June amid accusations of racial bias.
