PAB members said complainants sometimes call the county attorney's office after receiving an ACC determination, creating confusion for both complainants and county staff. The board stressed that departments are required by law to provide a victim's-rights advocate to complainants and asked departments to supply contact names or procedures so those advocates can be listed with ACC correspondence.

At the meeting a PAB member explained the problem: when complainants receive a letter from the ACC disagreeing with the outcome, they often call the county attorney's office. "The county attorney, he doesn't know anything about it. And he's, trying to deal with these calls the best he can," the PAB member said. The member added that the law requires departments to have a victim's-rights advocate who can explain the process and provide follow-up to complainants.

Chief Snyder of Hampstead said he serves as his department's victim's-rights advocate in practice and that investigators generally stay in contact with complainants. Several departments said they send a supplemental letter from their victim's-rights advocate designed to clarify contact points for complainants.

Why it matters: PAB members said clear contact information helps complainants understand findings and reduces misdirected calls to the county attorney. The board said staff will compile a list of victim's-rights advocates or department procedures and request missing contacts from jurisdictions that have not provided them.

Ending: PAB staff will follow up with departments to gather or confirm victim's-rights advocate contacts and incorporate that information into ACC correspondence and PAB outreach materials.