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Police departments almost never hold their officers accountable for wrongdoing against Black and Brown community members. Because police departments cannot hold themselves accountable, the community must be able to hold them accountable for these abuses.
Police departments routinely fail to adequately handle complaints against their police, especially racial discrimination, and abuse complaints, where there is documented proof of racism, police abuse, and misuse of force.
This is why community Police Accountability Boards (PABs) need their own independent investigatory and subpoena powers to conduct thorough and accurate investigations to hold officers accountable if needed.
Tell your Maryland legislators to vote “Yes” on SB 621/ HB 533.
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As reported by the 2021 Graham Report, the Prince George’s County Police Department has failed to respond adequately to complaints of racial harassment, discrimination, and misuse of force. We need to fix this.
The local Police Accountability Board (PAB) must have the power and authority necessary to fulfill its purpose. The PAB needs to effectively and actively oversee the police department’s disciplinary process to increase transparency and accountability to the community it serves.
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Police unions are working hard to block the public’s access to police misconduct records. This flies in the face of the letter and intention of Anton’s Law, which gives members of the public the ability to obtain records of police misconduct investigations using the Maryland Public Information Act.
What ensures police accountability and transparency? Timely and real access to police records. That also increases community trust and ultimately public safety. Black and Brown people, who the police disproportionately abuse and kill, have their rights violated again when police misconduct records are hidden and covered up.