Virtual Policing Town Hall: MoCo Residents Can Weigh In June 11

SILVER SPRING, MD — In the wake of anti-racism protests sparked by George Floyd's killing, Montgomery County human rights and law enforcement leaders will host a virtual town hall meeting to discuss tensions between the community and police.

The event is scheduled for Thursday, June 11, at 7 p.m. This marks the first time that all six county police chiefs and the sheriff have come together to meet with residents.

At the virtual town hall meeting, law enforcement leadership will offer their reactions to Floyd's death and address issues of policing in the county. The community is encouraged to participate by posting their questions during the Facebook live session. Residents can also watch the meeting on County Cable Montgomery (Comcast/RCN Channel 6 and HD Channel 996 or Verizon Channel 30).

Montgomery County Office of Human Rights Director Jim Stowe will moderate the meeting.

The panelist will include:

• Chief Marcus Jones - Montgomery County
• Chief Victor Brito - City of Rockville
• Chief Mark Sroka - City of Gaithersburg
• Chief John Fitzgerald - Village of Chevy Chase
• Chief Darryl McSwain - Maryland-National Capital Park Police, Montgomery County Division
• Chief Antonio DeVaul - City of Takoma Park
• Sheriff Darren M. Popkin - Montgomery County

Earlier this week, county police chiefs and the sheriff unequivocally condemned Floyd's death and how he was treated in police custody. In the now-viral video, a handcuffed Floyd can be seen pleading for air as a white Minneapolis cop knelt on his neck for more than eight minutes.

His death reignited nationwide protests against racial injustices and police brutality — with some demonstrators calling for elected leaders to defund the police.

"We are aware that law enforcement everywhere is under great scrutiny and calls for transparency and greater accountability are voiced by many residents in our community," county law enforcement officials said Monday. "We realize that we must work toward greater transparency and accountability in order to hold the public trust."

The county's 1,300-member police force — which touts itself as one of the more progressive departments in the country — has repeatedly come under fire over its policing tactics.

In June 2018, Robert Lawrence White, a 41-year-old black man, was fatally shot by a Montgomery County police officer in the parking lot of a Silver Spring townhouse community. White's death sent shockwaves through the region and served as a catalyst for the creation, and eventual passage, of the LETT Act.

In May 2019, video surfaced on social media of a white officer using the N-word while talking to a group of black men reportedly loitering at a Silver Spring McDonald's. Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones called the incident "decidedly unprofessional" and a violation of departmental policy, but disputed claims of racial profiling.

About two months later, another Montgomery County police officer was caught on video shoving a knee into the face of a man in custody. It prompted complaints that excessive force was used in the drug arrest. The officer was later charged with second-degree assault and misconduct in office.

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