Maryland state senators on Tuesday intensely debated over police reform bills, spending hours going back and forth over an amendment about public access to certain records.Police reform is one of the most emotional and divisive issues this session, and opposition to proposed changes to current law crosses party lines.The debate is over whether unsubstantiated complaints against police officers should be made public. An amendment to Senate Bill 178 would prohibit unfounded allegations from being released through the state s Public Information Act. We are talking about a violation of public trust. Policing is a public function and it is unlike any other profession because decisions that are made often final. There is no appeal from death, said Baltimore City Sen. Jill Carter, D-District 41. In this case, you are not guilty, but it is still out there for public information. I just have real concerns about officers careers and families being affected by false allegations, said An
Print David Collins, WBAL-TV 11
Maryland state senators on Friday advanced a set of nine police reform bills, but some call the effort baby steps for transformative change.
Senate leaders concede the slate of reforms is not perfect, but they said they believe it is a step in the right direction.
Final passage of the legislation in the Senate is expected next week, which is also when the House will take up more stringent measures. There is growing concern about whether there will be enough time to reconcile differences between the House and Senate bills.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland, representing more than 90 community groups, considers the package insulting and is calling on the House to do a better job.