Chair moves Administrative Charging Committee into closed session to review police complaint

The chair of the Caroline County Administrative Charging Committee on March 5 said the panel would enter a closed session to review a police complaint, citing Maryland statutory provisions that permit confidential consideration of personnel complaints.

The committee first approved the minutes from its prior closed-session meeting after a member moved to accept them and another seconded. The chair then noted that minutes from the open meeting are livestreamed and recorded and "are available on the Caroline County website," and asked whether the committee needed to screen those recordings; members indicated no screening was required.

The chair read the stated purpose for the closed session: "to review and discuss a police complaint pursuant to Maryland code provisions 3-305(b)(1)," and also referenced 3-305(b)(13) and Public Safety §3-104(h), stating that those provisions "require the ACC to maintain confidentiality relating to matters being considered by the ACC in this final disposition." The matter identified for review was recorded in the meeting as case 2025-08.

In attendance for the public portion, the chair listed committee members and staff: vice chair Jeff Martin (not present), members Betty Stecky, Todd Lord and Dan Towers; ACC attorney Stuart Barrell; PAB and ACC administrator Kim Reeder; and Sergeant Jerry Stiers of the Denton Police Department. After a motion and second to convene a closed session, the committee voted by voice, with members responding "Aye," and the chair closed the public portion to proceed into the closed session. The transcript does not record a roll-call tally or individual vote counts.

The closed session was convened to allow committee members and counsel to review the complaint and consider whether to recommend discipline; no further public actions or outcomes were recorded in the transcript provided.