The Dorchester County Police Accountability Board discussed short-term staffing and scheduling steps to ensure trial-board hearings can proceed, including asking staff to contact three civilians already trained in Talbot County to serve on hearings, and to coordinate compensation and contracts.

An unidentified board member proposed reaching out to Talbot County because “they have 3 civilians who are already trained and they are adjacent to us.” Board members asked staff to contact Irene or Jerry to reach those trained individuals “and see if we could have to agree,” and to coordinate available dates for training and participation. The board discussed paying the Talbot civilians a stipend; one board member said he would “talk to the council and see what they would agree to to pay them.”

Board members noted scheduling urgency for a hearing: a person filed for a hearing on Nov. 7, and the board member said the board was “already 60 days out here until when he filed for his hearing.” Members discussed that scheduling could still take additional months depending on training availability. The board directed staff to explore a personal-service contract if needed to formalize payment and participation.

Members discussed who appoints the hearing officer. One board member said Gary is “supposedly picking the judge” but noted legislation under consideration could change that to appointment of an attorney instead of a judge. The board did not record a formal vote on that change; the comment referred to proposed legislation to be considered in the legislative session.

The board also addressed pending complaints: a board member said there are two cases pending and that he had reviewed one and would complete review of the second before the board’s scheduled meeting on the 22nd. Board staff were asked to formally invite Mister Roe and Miss Mulaney to the meeting even though they are not trained, so they may “sit in and see the process.”

Earlier in the meeting the board received a brief law-enforcement update. Lieutenant Scribe of the City of Cambridge Police Department said, “I've got nothing to add.” Major John Stitchberry of the Dorchester County Sheriff's Office said there was “nothing unusual to report” and noted routine issues such as towing cars during recent snow. No members of the public signed up for comment.

Before those administrative discussions the board adjourned to closed session. The meeting record shows a motion to adjourn into closed session was made and seconded; the chair read that the board was adjourning to closed session under the Maryland Annotated Code, General Provisions Article, §3-305(b)(1) and (13).