An Annapolis alderman will introduce a sweeping police reform bill at Monday’s City Council meeting that would ban chokeholds, limit “stop and frisk” searches, restrict “no-knock” warrants and codify numerous other standards of procedure in the Annapolis Police Department.
The Police Enhancement And Community Engagement ordinance, formally O-12-21, was a months-long effort by Alderman Rob Savidge, D-Ward 7. He said his efforts are to introduce “common-sense reforms” to protect citizens and police.
The bill will be introduced the same day as Mayor Gavin Buckley delivers his fiscal 2022 budget to the council. Savidge’s police reform bill does not impact the city’s police budget at all, he said. A City Council work session on the bill has been tentatively set for May. Multiple public hearings and debates in city committees are expected to follow.
O-12-21 includes rules on the escalation of use of force and consent searches, institutes new statistical reporting requirements and codifies what tactics police may use during peaceful protests — like pepper spray and deploying armored vehicles. Some parts of the bill the police already have in place, like community policing guidelines, or are included in their general orders, such as the prohibition on firing a weapon from a moving vehicle. Others like prohibiting “stop and frisk” searches for weapons based solely on a person’s race, gender, sexual orientation, or another discriminatory profiling practice would be codified into city law.
Savidge, who is white, took action after hundreds of thousands of Americans flooded the streets last summer to protest police brutality and racism in law enforcement after the high-profile killings of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and other Black people who died at the hands of police. While he crafted the bill mostly on his own, with help from the City Law Office to pass legal muster, Savidge said he drew heavily from existing non-discrimination initiatives from the NAACP and ACLU. He also explored police reform language from other jurisdictions, including Montgomery County, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore City.
https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/20612237-o-12-21-first-reader/?embed=1&title=1
The bill’s introduction comes as the Maryland General Assembly passed a set of statewide police reforms, sending the bill to Gov. Larry Hogan’s desk. It also lands during the third week Derek Chauvin’s trial, the former Minneapolis police officer charged in Floyd’s death. Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes.
“Frankly, nobody else is doing it,” Savidge said. “Like most other people, I was just appalled at what has been happening around the country with police violence. I don’t think we are somehow insulated from those things.”
Savidge twice met with Police Chief Ed Jackson to discuss the bill. The chief had some concerns about setting standards for the police, which in turn could reduce their flexibility, Savidge said.
But setting minimum standards in the City Code is the point of the bill.
If the police want to change those standards, they should do so before the council “in a transparent manner to explain” those changes, he said.
Jackson did not respond to a request for comment.
Sgt. Christopher Kintop, the lead steward for the police union, said the union didn’t have input in the drafting of the bill. They do have a standing offer for Savidge to meet with them to discuss police procedures, he said.
“I’d absolutely love to come to the table to talk to him about it. Communication is the key,” Kintop said. He declined to comment on any particular aspects of the bill.
Carl Snowden, Convener of the Caucus of African American leaders, said he was “extraordinarily pleased” with Savidge and the council taking the lead on police reforms. He added that the legislation is a sign that the protests that popped up across the county last worked. The Caucus is expected to endorse the bill at their Tuesday meeting.
“Those people who marched, their voices were heard,” Snowden said. “And it shows them that the city council, the majority of the city council members, were listening.”
The Caucus has set a news conference for Wednesday to call on County Executive Steuart Pittman and the County Council to institute similar reforms.
Here is an overview of what’s in the bill:
A full ban on all use of neck restraints, commonly known as chokeholds, and striking a restrained individual.
Including a “duty to intervene” for officers who observe excessive force. They would be required to give first aid, call for immediate emergency medical service and be “free from retaliation or discipline” for stepping in.
Requires that officers notify citizens of their rights before completing consent searches.
Officers would be prohibited from using some weapons or crowd control measures like tear gas and rubber bullets on peaceful protestors. Requires uniformed officers to wear ID during first amendment activities.
Regulate use of the city’s police armored vehicle and prohibit its use during peaceful protests. The department would be required to publicize any time the vehicle is deployed.
Restrictions on when city law enforcement could enter a property without first notifying the residents like knocking or ringing the doorbell, known as a “no-knock” warrant.
A wide range of new reporting requirements, including annual or semi-annual reports on the number of “no-knock” warrants issued, instances of the use of force, discrimination and harassment complaints, “stop and frisk” actions, and more.
Extend the probationary period for new hires and lateral transfers.
Connecting officers to mental health resources.
Establishes procedures for the investigation of alleged crimes of domestic abuse and mandates temporary confiscation of weapons from officers being investigated for those crimes.
Other business
Monday’s crowded City Council agenda includes the introduction of Mayor Gavin Buckley’s fiscal 2022 budget. Buckley is also set to give his State of City address. Both the operating and capital improvements budgets will be referred to the Finance Committee this week for extensive deliberation before returned to the full council for a final vote.
On first reader is an ordinance that would give a pay raise to the next City Council during its next four-term starting in December; a resolution to extend the term of the Charter Review Commission to continue its work; a quartet of resolutions to establish the city-sponsored special events, position classifications and pay plan, and fees and fines schedules for the fiscal year 2022 and another resolution that would extend a current moratorium on the issuance of new non-owner-occupied short-term rental licenses in certain conservation residence districts until after a final action on an ordinance regulating those licenses is taken.
Up for a final vote Monday is a resolution to express support for the Digital Connectivity Act, a Maryland General Assembly bill that would create a state department focused on providing affordable internet service to all state residents.
A motion to delay an ordinance reforming the city’s transportation adequate public facilities requirements has also been proposed.
