Montgomery County reviews 2024 police data, launches post‑911 survey pilot to measure service

At a July 21 public safety work session, Montgomery County Council staff presented the county's 2024 Police Statistical Data Report and Montgomery County Police Department leaders described an August pilot that will send a short, multilingual survey by text to people after certain 911 or nonemergency calls.

The briefing matters because the report compiles disaggregated data the county is required to publish under local bills and state law, while the new survey pilot aims to provide regular, case‑linked community feedback about dispatch and officer performance.

Council staff told the committee that the department transmitted the calendar‑year 2024 report on Feb. 1 and released it to the council Feb. 25; the council held a public hearing March 18. Kristen Farag, the council staff member presenting the packet, said the report included most required datasets but noted the department had not completed an annual officer survey because that survey has not been funded in recent operating budgets. Farag summarized the department's November community survey (a Microsoft Forms release) as drawing 84 responses, 81 of them from county residents, with about 82% of respondents saying they either "highly trust or mostly trust" the Montgomery County Police Department to provide for their safety and about 79% saying they feel "very safe or mostly safe" in their neighborhoods. Farag said the November respondents…