(a) Definitions. In this Section the following words have the meanings indicated:
Commission means the Policing Advisory Commission.
Department means the Montgomery County Police Department.
(b) Established. County Council must appoint a Policing Advisory Commission.
(c) Composition and terms of members.
(1) The Commission has 13 members.
(2) The Council should appoint 9 public members. Each member should represent a community organization operating in the County or be an individual. Each Councilmember should nominate one member.
(3) The Council should appoint 4 public members nominated by the Executive. Of these members:
(A) one member should be 25 years of age or younger at the time of appointment; and
(B) one member should be 26-35 years of age at the time of appointment.
(4) The public members appointed under paragraphs (2) and (3) should:
(A) reflect a range of ethnicities, socioeconomic status, and places of origin to reflect the racial and economic diversity of the County’s communities, including religious creed, age, sex - including on the basis of gender identity or orientation, disability, and geographic location, with emphasis on those disproportionately impacted by inequities; and
(B) have an interest or expertise in policing matters.
(5) The Council should appoint the following as non-voting ex officio members:
(A) the Police Chief or the Police Chief’s designee; and
(B) the President of an employee organization certified under Article V of Chapter 33 or the President’s designee.
(6) The term of each member is 3 years. After an appointment to fill a vacancy before a term expires, the successor serves the rest of the unexpired term.
(d) Citizens Academy participation. The public members appointed under paragraph (c) must participate in the Montgomery County Police Department Citizens Academy.
(e) Voting, officers, meetings, and compensation.
(1) Except the ex officio members, all members of the Commission are voting members.
(2) The Commission must elect a Chair and Vice-Chair from among its voting members.
(3) The Commission meets at the call of the Chair. The Commission must meet as often as necessary to perform its duties, but not less than 6 times each year.
(4) A member must serve without compensation. However, a member may request reimbursement for mileage and dependent care costs at rates established by the County.
(f) Duties. The Commission must:
(1) advise the Council on policing matters;
(2) provide information regarding best practices on policing matters;
(3) recommend policies, programs, legislation, or regulations;
(4) comment on matters referred to it by the Council;
(5) conduct at least one public forum each year for community input on policing matters;
(6) accept correspondence and comments from members of the public; and
(7) engage in public education.
(g) Requests for information. The County, including the Police Department, should respond to Commission requests for information within 30 days after the County receives the request.
(h) Annual Report. By July 1 each year, the Commission must submit to the Executive and the Council an annual report on its functions, activities, accomplishments, and plans and objectives.
(i) Advocacy. The Commission must not engage in any advocacy activity at the State or federal levels unless that activity is approved by the Office of Intergovernmental Relations.
(j) Staff. The Executive Director of the Office of the County Council must provide appropriate staff to the Commission.
Editor’s note—2019 L.M.C., ch. 29, § 2, states: Transition. Notwithstanding paragraph (d)(2), the Council must designate the Chair and Vice-Chair until the Commission elects the Chair and Vice-Chair.
Former Sec. 35-6, "Same-Same-Abolished", derived from Mont. Co. Code 1965, § 96-1, was repealed by , § 1.
