Baltimore County PAB defers motion to receive full complaint contents after legal concerns
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Summary
The board recorded a motion to begin receiving the contents of all complaints starting in April but, after counsel and members flagged legal and bylaw issues, deferred formal action to the next meeting and agreed staff would research statutes and post materials.
At the Baltimore County Police Accountability Board meeting, a member formally moved that the board "begin receiving the contents of all complaints received by the board, starting with the April meeting." The motion was made on the record but, after discussion of legal and procedural concerns, the board deferred the item for further review.
Board members and staff raised multiple cautions. Dawn said she thought it would be unwise to act contrary to the Office of Law, and another member said the motion represented a potential change to the board's bylaws that required additional notice and formal posting before a vote. Staff advised the board that a bylaw change should be deferred to the next meeting unless the board could approve it unanimously.
Earlier in the meeting, the board entered a closed session to receive legal advice from the Baltimore County Office of Law pursuant to the General Provisions Article cited in the motion; the motion to enter closed session was made and seconded on the record.
The record reflects: a motion to require the PAB to receive complaint contents starting with the April meeting was made, seconded, discussed and referred for formal action at a subsequent meeting; no vote to adopt the bylaw change was taken at this session. The board scheduled its next meeting for April 7, 2025 at noon in Room 118 of the Historic Courthouse (and via Webex).
Ending: The board paused any change to complaint-access practices pending legal review, statutory research and formal notice at a future meeting.
