For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 9, 2019
ROCKVILLE, Md., July 9, 2019—Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro issued the following statement regarding Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy’s decision to charge Montgomery County Police Officer Kevin Moris with second degree assault and misconduct in office.
“Today is a somber and introspective one for Montgomery County because the overall reputation of our police department has been impacted by the excessive use of force by one police officer. It is important to reiterate that the Montgomery County Police Department is made up of men and women of integrity who pride themselves on high standards as they keep our County safe; however, effective accountability and oversight are essential to develop and maintain trust between the police and our community.
The Council appreciates Acting Police Chief Marcus Jones’ prompt investigation of this arrest and the swift action by State’s Attorney John McCarthy to bring charges against Officer Moris. Today’s charges reinforce the message that the excessive use of force will not be tolerated in our County.
Our work doesn’t stop with these charges. Acting Chief Jones will brief the Council on July 23 about strategies for community-police relations including de-escalation and other police training necessary to make our County a safe place for all our residents. We also will continue to monitor this case and will review the outcome once it’s complete.
In addition, the Council is part of the process for the appointment of a new police chief. We pledge to support the incoming chief and our community leaders in making our residents’ mandate for a safe Montgomery County, where every police officer treats all residents with respect and care regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and class, a reality. The police chief will work with us to support a highly respected police team to be more culturally proficient and to carry out its duties and responsibilities to our community with respect, compassion and a deep sensitivity to its sacred obligation to protect every resident of our great County.”
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Release ID: 19-242