Public Safety Committee Work Session on Police Accountability Board Annual Report - October 19, 2026

The Montgomery County Council Public Safety (PS) Committee, chaired by Sidney Katz, held a work session on Monday, October 19, 2026, to receive an update on the Police Accountability Board (PAB) Annual Report. The meeting included presentations from PAB Chair Paul Walker, Vice Chair George Juetis, ACC Chair James Hopkins, and PAB/ACC staff, facilitated by Council Staff Ms. Farag. The discussion centered on the PAB's focus memo which identified operational challenges and three central requests to improve data transparency and effectiveness.

Discussion Items

• PAB Annual Report Findings: PAB leadership presented data showing a significant increase in public engagement, with cases rising from 8 in 2022 to 85 in the latest reporting period. Of the 434 total allegations, 80% relate to bias or use of force. The board highlighted that residents identifying as Black are overrepresented in complaints at approximately 35%. A critical challenge is the lack of visibility into final trial board outcomes; for example, three Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) termination trial boards resulted in zero officer terminations. The PAB stated it cannot fully meet its statutory mandate to make specific policy recommendations without stronger data from the ACC and law enforcement agencies.
• Legislative Request for ACC Data: The PAB formally requested an amendment to county law to require the Administrative Charging Committee (ACC) to provide its written opinions to the PAB under existing confidentiality protections. Council Staff Ms. Farag noted a 2025 special counsel opinion states the ACC is not required, but may, share these opinions. ACC Chair James Hopkins raised concerns about protecting the identities of officers and complainants. PAB members countered that they receive this front-end data, are willing to sign additional non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), and require the full data for robust trend analysis.
• Data Analyst Staffing Request: The PAB requested funding for a full-time research and data specialist (Grade 90 or higher), noting that jurisdictions like Prince George's County employ multiple analysts to support similar boards.
• Trial Board Coordination: The committee discussed the disconnect between ACC charging decisions and trial board outcomes. Councilmember Mink argued that trial board counsel must have input into the charging process to fix the current system yielding incongruent results.

Key Outcomes

• Formal Support for PAB Requests: Committee Chair Sidney Katz formally supported all three PAB requests: amending the county code to mandate ACC data sharing, funding a dedicated data analyst position, and improving legal coordination for trial boards. He noted it is a "cruel joke" to assign duties without providing resources.
• Mandate vs. Voluntary Approach: Councilmember Luedtke expressed strong frustration over the lack of progress since March and advocated mandating data sharing through legislation rather than relying on ongoing voluntary discussions, stating the PAB cannot fulfill its mandate under the status quo.
• Path Forward: The committee committed to bringing forward the necessary legislative and budgetary items. The PAB's willingness to sign enhanced NDAs was highlighted as a viable solution to address confidentiality impasses, allowing data-driven oversight of police accountability processes.