In session 2016, advocates for police reform converged in Annapolis to push for changes to the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights.

Advertisement Advocates for police reform converged in Annapolis Many seek changes to Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights Share Shares Copy Link Copy

In session 2016, advocates for police reform converged in Annapolis to push for changes to the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights.Download the WBAL appThe group released a scathing review on police misconduct in west Baltimore.Organizers only provided a summary, they're releasing the report next week. They interviewed residents in Freddie Gray's old neighborhood.Sandtown is a 72-block community challenged by every urban ill; poverty, blight, unemployment and substance abuse. It is the area a group, No Boundaries Coalition, conducted an unscientific survey of the 1,500 residents asked about their experience with police, only 39 cooperated."What we found was there is inherent racism and bias in policing in Baltimore," research organizer Rebecca Nagle said. "We talked to people whose family members had been killed by the police, whose bones had been broken by police, who had their houses torn apart in drug raids to find out the police had read the address wrong."The citizen coalition is using the unscientific research to push reforms in the LEOBR. A deal breaker for community support is how a panel is picked to decide whether discipline is appropriate for officers accused of brutality. The commissioner gets one pick, the officer another and the third would be mutually agreed upon."This provision makes little sense. It was proposed by the House work group," said state Sen. Catherine Pugh, D-Baltimore City.City police commissioner Kevin Davis, a no show for a House hearing on the issue last week, provided a written statement to the Senate committee which said in part; "I support the position of the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association and the Maryland Sheriffs Association which advocates in favor of a chief having the sole responsibility for appointing members of the administrative hearing boards."The Maryland Coalition for Justice and Police Accountability demand that a trial board include a civilian member."As it stands now, if it is passed, it is a step backwards," said Molly Amster, with the Jews United for Justice.Another option supported by the legislative black caucus is to appoint an administrative law judge. Residents are tired of waiting for lawmakers to act."I'd like to ask a question of the General Assembly and the question is why should we continue to vote for you," Sandtown-Winchester resident Elder Harris said.The next step will be to amend the bill inserting language addressing trial board memberships.