'SMART' Police Reform Bill To Be Introduced In Baltimore County

TOWSON, MD — After the County Council tabled his recent police reform bill, Councilman Julian Jones plans to introduce new legislation Tuesday. Called the SMART Policing Act, it stands for Strengthening Modernization, Accountability, Reform, and Transparency.

The bill will ban chokeholds and require the Baltimore County Police Department to codify certain measures such as requiring officers to report excessive uses of force.

Councilman Julian Jones formally introduced the SMART Policing Act at the Baltimore County Council Meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8.

"We’ve heard from the public and the time to act is now," Jones said in a statement. "I value and respect the great men and women of the Baltimore County Police Department, and this commonsense bill will help ensure they receive the right training and policies to serve and protect every member of every community."

County Executive Johnny Olszewski joined members of the County Council at a news conference Tuesday morning in Towson to announce his support for the SMART Policing Act.

“We are living in a moment that demands action, and I am proud to join Councilman Jones and his colleagues in support of the SMART Policing Act to strengthen accountability and promote more equitable policing for all,” Olszewski said. “Today, we’re coming together united in Baltimore County’s next step forward in the ongoing fight for equal justice.”

This is what the SMART Policing Act will include, according to a statement from Baltimore County:

• Modernizing police tactics by banning the use of all neck restraints, including chokeholds, unless a person’s life is in immediate jeopardy; requiring a policy specifying that officers render aid or call for medical care for any individual in police custody who has an obvious injury or complaint of injury; and requiring the Baltimore County Police Department to introduce policy affirming the sanctity of life and the dignity and value of all persons.
• Increasing accountability by barring individuals with prior disciplinary records in other jurisdictions or agencies from serving as officers in the Baltimore County Police Department; and requiring annual training in de-escalation, implicit bias and the use of force.
• Reforming the use of force policy by mandating officer intervention to stop fellow officers from using excessive force and report uses of force; prohibiting retaliation against those who report misconduct; requiring an early intervention system to provide behavioral interventions or additional training for officers at risk of engaging in use of excessive force
• Adding transparency by collecting data on uses of force and police-involved shootings, then making that accessible to the public. Authorizing the police chief to select up to two members of the public to serve on a police hearing board. Due to state law, final approval of the membership is subject to collective bargaining.

Olszewski announced executive actions in June to promote action such as updating the use of force policy. Through the SMART Policing Act, this would be codified into law. He also called for creation of public dashboards showing use of force and traffic stop data, which he said Tuesday would be provided in the coming weeks.

See Also:

• Rally Calls For Baltimore County Police Reform
• Police Reforms In Baltimore County Proposed: Use Of Force, Hiring