Encounters With Police Topic Of Montgomery Co. Hearing On June 14

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — The Police Advisory Commission is asking residents to share their thoughts on the county's drug enforcement efforts at its first public hearing next week.

The virtual hearing will give community members a chance to share their opinions on drug arrests, searches, and citations for possession.

Some questions the commission is asking the public to consider are:

• Were you stopped and searched by the police? What happened? How did you feel?
• After the police stopped you, what officially happened? Were you taken into custody? Were you let go? Were you given a citation? How was the encounter ultimately resolved?
• If arrested, have you attempted to have the arrest or conviction expunged? If so, how would you describe that experience?
• Have you experienced long-term consequences – such as suspension from school, loss of employment, loss of housing, family breakup, imprisonment?
• Looking back on this encounter, what was the effect of this encounter on your relationship to the police or with other government agencies?
• Would your experience in this encounter affect your willingness to go to the police if you were a crime victim or witnessed a crime?
• If you needed treatment for a substance use disorder, did your experience with the Montgomery County Police Department expedite, delay, or otherwise affect your ability to get appropriate treatment?
• Do you or your organization have a view on the public safety, public health, economic, social or other value of MCPD drug arrests—both for marijuana and for other drugs?

Residents are asked to submit written testimony or register to speak at the hearing, which will be held virtually. To watch the meeting, join the Zoom.

The commission was created in 2019 to think about policing in the county, and advise the County Council on policy, legislation and programming.

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