[Adopted by Bill No. 22-018]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Art. XXII, Risk Management, Safety and Accident Review Boards, adopted by Exec. Order No. 77-1, as amended, was repealed by Bill No. 15-030.
[Amended by Bill Nos. 23-004; 23-04; 25-010]
A. 
There is established a Harford County Police Accountability Board as required under Title 3 of the Public Safety Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
B. 
The Board shall consist of 5 members.
C. 
Members shall be appointed by the County Executive for terms coterminous with the County Executive and shall be confirmed by the County Council.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Section 2 of Bill No. 22-018 stated that the term for the initial members appointed to the Board shall be two years. After the initial term, members serve as specified in this subsection.
D. 
An individual may not be a member of the Board if the individual:
(1) 
Is an active police officer as that term is defined in § 9-139 of the Harford County Code, as amended, an employee of the Sheriff's Office or an employee of a local municipal police agency; or
(2) 
Has been convicted of, or received probation before judgment for, a felony or misdemeanor for which a sentence of imprisonment for 1 year or more could have been imposed.
E. 
The County Executive shall appoint, subject to a confirmation by the County Council, a member to serve as the Chair of the Board; and this member shall have relevant experience with the operation of a law enforcement agency.
F. 
To the extent practicable, the membership of the Board shall reflect the racial, gender and cultural diversity of the County.
G. 
Members shall be County residents aged 21 years or older.
H. 
Members shall be a legal resident or citizen of the United States.
I. 
The County Executive may consult with the Harford County Police Commission, community groups, business associations or any other organization within Harford County to assist in the recruitment of individuals to serve as members.
J. 
To the extent practicable, members shall have experience in:
(1) 
Civil rights;
(2) 
Law enforcement;
(3) 
Criminal law;
(4) 
Community policing;
(5) 
Policing standards;
(6) 
Criminology;
(7) 
Personnel management and discipline;
(8) 
Juvenile service administration; and
(9) 
Other life experience that may be valuable to the Board.
K. 
Prospective members of the Board shall submit to a criminal background check.
L. 
Each member shall sign an agreement to maintain the confidentiality of all matters related to individual complaints until final disposition and all appeals have been exhausted.
[Amended by Bill No. 23-004; 25-010]
A. 
Three members constitutes a quorum for the purpose of conducting business.
B. 
The Board shall meet quarterly each year but may hold special meetings at any time at the call of the Chair.
C. 
Any member missing 3 consecutive meetings in any 1 calendar year may be asked to resign.
D. 
The County Executive shall propose a budget for the Board and assign staff, as needed, for the Board. As needed, the County Attorney shall retain special legal counsel to serve as counsel to the Board.
E. 
The Board shall keep accurate and complete records of its business, and the Harford County Law Department shall serve as the custodian of the records. The Board shall keep records of all business of the Board for 5 years from the date of the generation or collection of the record.
F. 
The members of the Board shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
A. 
The Board shall have the following responsibilities and duties:
(1) 
Hold quarterly meetings with the heads of law enforcement agencies and otherwise work with law enforcement agencies and County government to improve matters of policing.
(2) 
Appoint civilian members to administrative charging committees and trial boards.
(3) 
Receive complaints of police misconduct filed by members of the public which shall be forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agency within 3 days of receipt by the Board. To be accepted, complaints shall be filed by the public and shall include the name of the officer accused of misconduct, a description of the facts upon which the complaint is based and the legal name and contact information of the complainant or the person filing on behalf of the complainant.
(4) 
On a quarterly basis, review outcomes of disciplinary matters considered by administrative charging committees.
(5) 
On or before December 31 each year, submit a written report to the governing body of the County that:
(a) 
Identifies any trends in the disciplinary process of law enforcement officers in the County; and
(b) 
Makes recommendations on changes to policy that would improve police accountability in the County.