Montgomery County reviews Police Accountability Board operations and complaint data tracking

Montgomery County officials on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025, reviewed the Police Accountability Board’s operations and the county’s tracking of complaints against law enforcement, focusing on data gaps, case-management options and whether the board can access investigative materials such as body-worn camera footage.

The Police Accountability Board is charged with reviewing outcomes of community complaints about police misconduct and recommending policy changes, and the Administrative Charging Committee (ACC) adjudicates those complaints. “The Board's duty is to review the outcomes of community complaints of police misconduct, such as racially biased policing and excessive use of force, and to recommend sound policies to improve police accountability,” said Bishop Paul Walker, chairman of the Police Accountability Board.

Why it matters: Council members pressed officials for clarity because the county’s ability to analyze trends depends on consistent, complete complaint data and an effective tracking system. Without reliable demographic fields and a robust case-management system, staff said, the county cannot easily produce the year-over-year analysis the community and council want.

Forrest Gillman Riley, administrative director for the Police Accountability Board and Administrative Charging Committee, summarized the board’s recent work and data. He said the ACC received 120 complaints from December 2023 through November 2024 and issued 43 written opinions during that period. “Out of the 43 written opinions, the ACC issued 24 administrative charges in 12 of the complaints,” Gillman Riley said, adding…