Caroline County oversight board backs bill to clear exonerated officers’ records, debates local subpoena, board changes; longtime member resigns

The Caroline County Police Accountability Board (PAB) voted to support state legislation that would allow officers whose cases are listed as exonerated or unfounded to have those records removed after three years, and spent much of a meeting debating a county draft ordinance that would change subpoena procedures and the size and membership rules for local oversight boards. The session also included a complaint by board members about data-sharing, discussion of training availability, and the announced resignation of a longtime oversight member who said he was stepping down.

Board members said they authorized a representative to testify in Annapolis in favor of the state measure after the PAB discussed the issue and approved a motion of support. The bill was described at the meeting as cross-filed in the House and Senate; the transcript records a House bill referenced as 0885 and a Senate filing referenced as 0625. A PAB representative testified at a House hearing on Feb. 23, attendees said, and the proposal had bipartisan sponsorship but had not advanced in committee as of the meeting. Members reported that advocates in Baltimore City opposed the bill because they want records of all prior complaints to remain publicly accessible for future reviews of officers’ conduct.

Why it matters: supporters told the board they view the change as a way to let officers who were cleared of wrongdoing move on without a public record that continues to show the prior allegation. Opponents — including oversight actors from other jurisdictions, according to board members — argued that keeping such records helps track repeated complaints.

“The bill is a good bill. It’s co‑sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans,” one board member said when…