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Montgomery County police add peer review after judge limits gang‑validation testimony; staffing gaps remain
Summary
Police and the State’s Attorney’s Office told the County Council their gang‑validation process now includes detective peer review and supervisor review after a judge limited expert testimony; council members pressed for broader methodological changes even as investigators cite heavy caseloads and 19 validated gangs locally.
The Montgomery County Public Safety Committee on Oct. 6 heard a detailed update from police and prosecutors on how the county identifies and validates alleged gang members for use in criminal trials and how court rulings have changed that work.
County police and the State’s Attorney’s Office said a February ruling by Judge Chernofsky limited the admissibility of portions of gang‑expert testimony because the court found the validation process lacked sufficient review. In response, Montgomery County Police Department leaders said they added a multi‑tiered review: an initial validation by a detective, a peer review by a second detective and an additional supervisor review to resolve disagreements.
Assistant State’s Attorney Gabriel Carrera told the committee that the prosecutor’s gang team relies heavily on gang‑validation packets for complex prosecutions…
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