For Immediate Release: Monday, March 4, 2019
From the Office of Councilmember Jawando
Press conference on March 5 at 7 p.m. in Rockville
Rockville, Md., March 4, 2019—Councilmember Will Jawando and Councilmember Hans Riemer will be joined by representatives from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), CASA and the National Association For the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on Tuesday, March 5 at 7 p.m. at the Council Office Building (100 Md. Ave.) to explain the urgency of enacting Bill 1-19, Police Officer Involved Death - Independent Investigation, which is also known as the Law Enforcement Trust and Transparency (LETT) Act. Marvin Winston Whitfield, a childhood friend of Robert White who was shot and killed in June 2018 by a Montgomery County Police officer, will also be in attendance. The Council’s public hearing on the LETT Act will begin at 7:30 p.m. on the same evening.
The goal of the LETT Act is to ensure that when a police officer is involved in the death of an individual, investigations into that officer’s conduct are independent, impartial and transparent. The bill would eliminate potential conflicts of interest and help improve the public’s trust in law enforcement. Councilmember Jawando is the lead sponsor of the LETT Act. All other Councilmembers are cosponsors.
The press conference will be held in in the third floor Council Conference Room. Faith Blackburne, political action committee chair of the Montgomery County Chapter of the NAACP, Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA, and Dana Vickers Shelley, executive director, American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, will all express their support for enacting Bill 1-19.
“Directing an independent review of police actions, when an officer is involved in the death of a resident, will protect both the integrity of the inquiry and the civil rights of our residents, especially those of color,” Jawando said. “An independent criminal investigation guards against bias, and the perception of bias. This bill serves all involved -- our officers, the prosecutors and our residents.”
Under the LETT Act, when an officer is involved in the death of an individual, at least two experienced investigators from an independent law enforcement entity will open an inquiry reviewing the circumstances of the case. If the decision is against filing charges, the LETT Act requires that the independent report be released to the public.
“Transparency and accountability are essential to fair and equitable treatment of investigations into police conduct, especially when someone’s lost their life,” Jawando said. “Montgomery County is not immune to police-involved shootings. Robert White, a 41-year-old Silver Spring resident, was shot and killed in June 2018 in a parking lot near his home during a confrontation with an officer.”
While the State’s Attorney has an agreement with Howard County to consider criminal prosecution of officers involved in deaths, the LETT act would require a criminal investigation conducted by independent law enforcement entity. This is a change from current practice where Montgomery County Police conduct the initial criminal investigation their own officers. Illinois, Utah and Wisconsin have enacted similar laws.
The Council Public Safety Committee is scheduled to review Bill 1-19 on March 25 at 9:30 a.m. Additional information and the full text of the bill can be found at https://tinyurl.com/LETTACTPH .
Councilmember Jawando’s remarks upon the introduction of the LETT Act can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/JawandoLettAct .
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Release ID: 19-077