Prince George’s County, Maryland, Executive Angela Alsobrooks has announced the formation of a task force to study and make recommendations on police reform.
The announcement comes weeks after former police Chief Hank Stawinski resigned after public allegations that the department had fostered a culture of racism and retaliation. Those accusations appeared in a file that is part of ongoing legal action by the Hispanic National Law Enforcement Association.
In a statement released announcing the formation of the group on Friday, Alsobrooks wrote that the task force would examine reforms “based on a comprehensive study and review of policies of the Police Department in areas that cover a full spectrum of its operations, including hiring, training and use of force policies.”
County Circuit Court Judge Maureen Lamasney and Del. Alonzo Washington will co-chair the task force. Before being appointed to the circuit court, Lamasney had worked as a public defender.
Glenn Ivey, who like Alsobrooks is a former state’s attorney for Prince George’s County, was also named to the task force.
“I think the county executive was wise to select a diverse group, a fairly sizable group, so that a lot of different opinions can be brought to the table” Ivey said.
Also named to the task force, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer and former Prince George’s County Police Chief Mark Magaw and Donnell Turner, inspector general with Prince George’s County police.
Keith Lotridge, the County District Public Defender, will also serve on the task force. Florence Felix Lawson, chair of the Citizens Complaint Oversight Panel and community advocate Krystal Oriadha have also been chosen to work on the task force.
Ivey said, “There’s going to be a number of people who’ve been on both sides of this,” referring to issues related to police conduct in the community. “This might be the moment when we can really move the ball forward and advance the agenda” on police reform.
The task force is expected to make recommendations in a report due to the Office of the County Executive by Oct. 30.
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