Thirteen members of the public would become part of a Policing Advisory Commission under the terms of a bill introduced by Councilmember Hans Riemer (D-At Large).

Bill 14-19, Police – Policing Advisory Commission – Established is intended to improve the County Council’s oversight of the county police, as well as increase the community’s trust in the department.

Members of the commission would be charged with advising the council “on policing matters, provide information regarding best practices, and recommend policies, programs, legislation or regulations,” according to a press release.

“I know that we have an excellent police department, full of conscientious and highly professional public servants,” Riemer said in the release. “But we are not immune from the challenges that communities are facing all over the country.”

The members would be selected from among county residents or members of community organizations. The council would appoint nine of the members and the county executive four; the police chief (or designee) and a representative of the Fraternal Order of Police would serve as ex officio members.

Councilmembers Tom Hucker (D-District 5), Will Jawando and Evan Glass (both D- At Large) are cosponsors of he bill and are expected to join Riemer in a press conference tomorrow. The conference will be held at 7 p.m. in the Capital Crescent Room, Fourth Floor, Stella B. Werner Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Ave. in Rockville.

In the meantime, the county executive’s office released the results of a survey that asked the public about the characteristics they would like to see in the county’s next police chief.

The top-five leading characteristics in the area of “Most important characteristic/competency for police chief” were:

Integrity – 26 percent

Appreciation of diversity – 17 percent

Honesty – 15 percent

Apolitical – 14 percent, and

Good judgment – 10 percent.

There were a total of 1,123 responses (1,028 online; and 95 at a recent community forum). The full survey results can be found here.

Screenshot from Montgomery County Police Department web page.