Members appointed to fill Somerset County's new Police Accountability Board

Posted 7/25/22

PRINCESS ANNE — The inaugural members of the newly-established Somerset County Police Accountability Board have been selected by the County Commissioners to serve with retired Maryland State …

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Members appointed to fill Somerset County's new Police Accountability Board

Posted

PRINCESS ANNE — The inaugural members of the newly-established Somerset County Police Accountability Board have been selected by the County Commissioners to serve with retired Maryland State Police Captain Martin E. Koerner who was previously appointed chair.

Representing District 1 is Dr. Kirkland J. Hall Sr., a retired educator and president of the Somerset NAACP, and the only one not to have law enforcement or corrections experience.

From District 2 Bruce Parkinson was appointed, having retired after some 25 years as a correctional officer at the Somerset County Detention Center. Nicki Benton, a former deputy with the Sheriff’s Office, will represent District 3.

Newly-elected Crisfield City Councilman Ivan Lankford, who retired from the Montgomery County Police Department and is supervisor of public safety at Wor-Wic Community College was appointed to represent District 5.

Mr. Koerner, who lives in District 4, is a former commander of all of the Eastern Shore State Police barracks and for a time was a police officer in Pocomoke City.

The accountability board will name two members to an administrative charging committee with county leaders selecting two additional civilians. Mr. Koerner will also sit on the charging committee.

The Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights was shelved in Maryland July 1 and replaced by accountability boards after critics claimed the former gave too much protection to police who violate departmental rules. The Maryland General Assembly passed the legislation in 2021 over Gov. Larry Hogan’s veto and it requires each county to setup accountability boards and provide oversight of police agencies in their jurisdictions.

The accountability board is to meet quarterly with the heads of law enforcement and county government to work on ways to improve policing. At the end of each calendar year it is to submit a report outlining trends in the disciplinary process of police officers and recommend ways to improve police accountability.

This board also receives complaints from the public about police misconduct and turns that information over to the charging committee which will review the findings of the law enforcement agency’s investigation and determine if the officer should be administratively charged.

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