Baltimore council committee presses for clearer police accountability data and stronger civilian oversight

The Baltimore City Council Public Safety Committee held a hearing to examine how the Police Accountability Board (PAB), the Administrative Charging Committee (ACC), the Office of Equity and Civil Rights (OECR) and the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) currently coordinate investigations, disciplinary recommendations and public reporting.

Committee Chair Mark Conway said the hearing was intended to review L.O.25-0036 and "identify options to strengthen police accountability and increase transparency regarding accountability procedures." He warned that "when trust is exhausted, when the bank runs empty, our beloved city is liable to erupt," and said citizen oversight is "the cornerstone of Baltimore's police reforms."

Why it matters: Council members pressed officials for a single, traceable dataset and clearer timelines so the public and council can see whether recommended discipline is carried through. Without unified data linking complaints, ACC charging decisions, trial-board outcomes and department-imposed discipline, council members said they cannot tell how many officers were disciplined, how many appeals were filed, or whether discipline produced changes in behavior.

What officials said: Jasmine Riggins, a member of both the PAB and ACC, said oversight must have "legal independence from the law department to the extent possible, and operational…