As the search for a new police chief continues in Maryland’s Prince George’s County, State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy said she appreciates the transparency displayed by the county’s interim police chief, Hector Velez.
“We really appreciate the transparency of the new police chief,” Braveboy, the county’s top prosecutor, told WTOP.
Hector Velez, who was the assistant chief until being named interim police chief in June, has been in constant communication with her and her office on criminal cases that are being prosecuted in the county of 900,000 people.
“We talk regularly, we communicate often,” Braveboy said.
Velez took over overseeing the Prince George’s Police Department, which has more than 1,500 officers and 300 civilian workers, after former chief Hank Stawinski resigned in the wake of an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit that detailed racial bias and discrimination toward officers of color at the department.
Braveboy said Velez is charged with improving the relationship the police department has with the community.
She said he has been open to hearing from her about how that can be done.
Velez has been working with the state’s attorney’s office to set up and provide additional training for the officers on the Fourth and Fifth amendments, Braveyboy said.
The department will soon provide classes on use of force and public integrity soon, Braveboy said.
“We’re really excited that we have an open police chief, one who is open to additional training and just growing that relationship not only with our office but the larger community.”
