The Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) has released its report on Mayor Colin Byrd’s Fair and Just Policing Act, a process that began in October 2020 at the Greenbelt City Council’s request. PSAC made recommendations to specific general orders, which direct the Greenbelt Police Department’s (GPD) day-to-day operations, with no recommendation for an ordinance.
PSAC decided to finish their report contrary to a request from the mayor (who asked that the process be delayed until the April 2021 state police reform legislation was passed), but the majority of the council wanted it to be completed and PSAC determined that alterations to the GPD general orders were warranted.
The report, which was a response to a PowerPoint presentation by Byrd of his bill, addresses the following areas: de-escalation, use of force, duty to intervene, civil liberties, transparency, militarization, hiring, immigration, racial profiling, civilian oversight and stop and frisk.
According to the report, PSAC’s approach is more akin to “a scalpel rather than a sledge hammer,” as “PSAC members expressed qualms as the [GPD] general orders treated most of the issues raised by the mayor with greater precision and clarity.” PSAC used language from Byrd’s presentation and the new legislation, as well as data from the GPD from 2015 to 2019, the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Some of the major recommendations are: the need by officers to clearly identify themselves as officers when forcibly entering a premise, provide a tiered deadline process to allow for speedier release of body camera footage upon request (as a compromise with a three-day policy set out by the mayor and the 30-day state law), and hire a law enforcement specialist to create more diversity among officers.
PSAC recommends that a new general order be developed that would embrace a “protect and serve” approach over a “warrior law-and-order mindset” and enhance community policing.
Byrd, while grateful for the PSAC report, said he disagreed with the report on “the notion that no ordinance is necessary,” citing that “while the report does suggest some good changes” to general orders, the lack of legislation in this area “reinforces the extraordinarily troublesome idea that police are above the law.” He expressed concern that the deliberations resulting in this report were not fully transparent throughout, and there should be “feedback from a more diverse set of eyes.”
Police Chief Richard Bowers stated that he is focused primarily on the recent state legislation and the effect it will have, and is looking to “get a handle” on any “unforeseen consequences and ramifications.”
Bowers said that a general order is analogous to a policy, while legislation sets out legal sanctions. Yet, he noted that both can be specific and binding, depending on their wording, and that a violation of a general order has the potential of serious action like a termination of employment.
Council will meet on July 14 for a worksession to discuss the Fair and Just Policing Act and the PSAC report. The report, with its three appendices, is available on the city website (greenbeltmd.gov, click on Municipal Access TV) at a link in the agenda packet for the May 24 council meeting.