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Council staff and police outline data gaps, dashboard plans and stalled officer/community survey procurement
Summary
Council staff and Montgomery County Police Department told the Public Safety Committee that most required policing datasets are now populated, but procurement issues delayed the mandated officer/community survey; the department plans a stopgap Nextdoor survey and a future validated survey tied to an Axon license package while working to reconcile discrepancies between Data Montgomery and departmental reports.
Council staff and Montgomery County Police Department officials reviewed the 2023 police statistical data report and described efforts to close remaining data gaps and improve public-facing reporting.
Susan Farag, the council analyst who led the briefing, recapped statutory reporting requirements and said the previously missing datasets ‘‘are largely in compliance with all datasets now’’ after updates. She said the packet includes disaggregated data on arrests, field interviews and other metrics and attached a racial equity impact assessment.
Farag and Assistant Chief Darren Frank told the committee that procurement issues delayed purchase of a standalone validated survey platform the council had included in an earlier recommended operating budget. Frank said, ‘‘we were working through procurement issues. We still have some procurement issues to overcome,’’ and described a pivot to using Nextdoor as a stopgap in 2024 while finalizing questions for a validated survey tool being pursued as part of the Axon officer safety plan license package.
Committee members raised discrepancies between figures shown on Data Montgomery and the numbers in department reports. Frank and analytics staff said differences stem from multiple operational systems, timing of updates, and missing fields in the raw Data Montgomery datasets. Michelle Yatze, the MCPD manager for analytics and data management, said the department documents sources to reconcile those disagreements and confirmed that ‘‘the arrest data does include arrests, referrals, and citations.’’
Several members urged that the department produce a more intuitive public dashboard (Power BI-style) while ensuring the underlying Data Montgomery datasets match departmental reports. Farag recommended prioritizing funding to allow validated survey procurement and improved data staffing; department staff said they are working toward a Power BI dashboard and will coordinate with Data Montgomery to reduce discrepancies.
The committee set follow-ups: an update on a drone first-responder pilot and the real-time intelligence center for Nov. 4 and a staffing update for Dec. 2. Farag reiterated that improved data systems and validated survey instruments are integral to transparency and to identifying racial disparities in policing outcomes.
