The Montgomery County Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the nine members of the county’s new Police Accountability Board, which will handle complaints about possible police misconduct.
The council passed legislation in April creating the nine-member board, as well as a separate five-member Administrative Charging Committee.
The accountability board will advise the County Council and county executive on policing issues and review officer complaints filed by the public before sending the complaints to the charging committee. The charging committee will review body camera footage and other evidence, interview witnesses and recommend administrative charges for officers.
Police Accountability Board members will make $10,000 per year and Administrative Charging Committee members will make $16,000 per year. The chair of the accountability board will make $22,000 per year.
The nine members approved to the accountability board on Tuesday, all county residents, are:
- Bishop Paul Walker, chair of the board and a local pastor
- Alicia Hudson, an attorney and member of the county’s Policing Advisory Commission
- Kenneth Kellner, an attorney working with the U.S. Department of Justice
- George Lluberes, a political scientist who works in market research
- Rudy Logan, a nonprofit official and minister
- Katharine Manning, an attorney who has worked on several social issues
- Alvin “Greg” McCray, an information technology and sales professional
- Thomas Williams Jr., a county Board of Elections aide and former financial adviser
- Christopher Zatratz, a labor attorney
Montgomery County was required to approve its Police Accountability Board before July 1, according to state law.
Council President Gabe Albornoz said during Tuesday’s meeting that he was encouraged by answers the soon-to-be board members gave to council members’ questions last week.
“It was clear to me, as it was to all of my colleagues, that each of these members understand the critical nature of this work and the importance of impartiality, and the bridge that will hopefully connect law enforcement and the community, and vice versa,” he said.
The members of the Administrative Charging Committee have not yet been selected. The Police Accountability Board must first meet, and then will choose two of the charging committee’s members, according to council spokeswoman Sonya Healy. Another two members of the charging committee must be chosen by County Executive Marc Elrich. The fifth member of the charging committee could either be Walker, who is the accountability board’s new chair, or someone he selects.
Dan Schere can be reached at daniel.schere@moco360.media
