Kent County committee says two members certified for trial boards; sheriff finalizing trial-board policy

Kent County Administrative Charging Committee members reported at the May 7 meeting that a board member completed a two-day training in Sykesville and that the county now has two people certified to serve on trial boards.

Board members said the training class was small and informative. One member who attended raised concerns after comparing practices in other counties, noting that in Baltimore County some trial board members do not receive case packages until the morning the trial begins; that timetable was described as problematic because members said they need time to review materials before hearings.

Members said they are still drafting the trial board policy and have asked the county police departments to include the PAB/ACC in the scheduling process so the committee will receive the complete case folder well in advance of hearings. The board expects the sheriff—s finished policy to be circulated to the county police departments for comment and, once signed off locally, incorporated into the PAB bylaws.

The boards also discussed administrative templates for case work: members expressed preference for a basic blank template for case records and said staff will aim to prepare a usable form so findings can be filled in and approved at meetings rather than assembled later.

No formal policy was adopted at the May 7 meeting; members said the sheriff—s policy and the trial-board procedure will be incorporated into bylaws after department review and local sign-off.