PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY Police Reform Continues in Prince George’s County By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Since Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy was sworn-in to office in January 2019, at least 12 county and municipal police officers have been indicted for assault, reckless endangerment and other offenses. A grand jury indicted two more officers, Bryant Strong and Luis Aponte, on Thursday, Sept. 10 for various charges in two separate cases.
However, a grand jury ruled a few days before those cases the police-involved shooting death on Sept. 26, 2019, of Leonard Shand, 26, “was objectively reasonable.” In addition, the grand jury didn’t indict any of the nearly 12 officers involved. Tyrone Powers, a former Maryland state trooper and FBI agent, wrote a nearly 40-page report for the state’s attorney office to help examine the case by looking at video footage, reading police documents and analyze the county’s use-of-force procedures. He concluded “the officers were justified
in deploying deadly force.” “I reached out to Dr. Powers awhile a go because we felt that was very important…to have an independent eye on those cases to provide a neutral report,” said State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy. “It is really important that I exercise that independence…and that’s what we’re doing. “My office has a huge responsibility. We must ensure the public trust our decisions,” Braveboy said. She acknowledged the police department has a negative reputation among some residents and those outside the county and remains concerned about bringing indictments against police officers. “Every time we have to indict an officer, we know that erodes the public trust,” said Braveboy, who grew up in Prince George’s. “We have a duty and responsibility not only to apply the facts to the law and render decisions, but also to educate, inform and be transparent with our public.” For instance, her office recently began Fourth Amendment training police officers. Later this year, sessions will assess the Fifth Amendment, de-escalation, use of force and public integrity open to all law enforcement agencies in the county. As for Powers, who runs a consult-
5 A grand jury indicted two Prince George’s County police officers Sept. 10. (File photo: William J. Ford/The Washington Informer)
ing firm called The Powers Consulting Group of Baltimore, has assessed other police-involved incidents throughout the state. He provided recommendations to enhance the Prince George’s police department. Suggested recommendations include include: • Establish a Safety Fusion Center where cases from various county police agencies are reviewed for co-
Diversity Underscores Final Push for Census Count in County Spanish-Speaking Help Secured at 11th Hour By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Christopher Paul Johnson of Landover can’t wait to vote so can make sure the elected officials he chooses will provide employment opportunities for those formally incarcerated such as himself. However, he didn’t know about the 2020 U.S. Census. Monica Young gave Johnson a census door hanger and encouraged him to fill out the form online. “This is how you fill it out. It takes 10 minutes. It’s very simple,” Johnson, chief of staff for Prince George’s County Council member Jolene Ivey (D-District 5) of Cheverly, said Saturday, Sept. 12. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Young and three other members of Ivey’s staff couldn’t knock on doors inside buildings at Kent Village in Landover. They set up a census and voter
information table along a sidewalk and greeted residents who either walked to the table or came out of nearby buildings. Besides Kent Village, Ivey and Cheverly Mayor Laila Riazi distributed census and voter information outside Cheverly Gardens apartments. With some of the highest number of residential units in the District 5 area, Cheverly Gardens and Kent Village recorded lower than expected census counts in 2010. “I don’t think everybody makes the connection of filling out the census and what you see around you,” Ivey said. “Do you have adequate public transportation? Do you have great health care in your area? All the things that make your life better are funded, in large part, through federal money that comes to your community.” Census data helps determine how to distribute an estimated $1.5 trillion in federal dollars from the county held every 10 years toward Medicaid schools and housing in
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addition to helping determine the state’s representation in Congress. The participation for Maryland residents means federal aid of slightly more than $18,000 per person over the next decade. This year’s census allows residents to fill out forms online. The virus known as COVID-19 has limited large community gatherings, so county and municipal officials and community organizers have given out information at food distribution events. By law the census count must be completed and delivered to the president by Dec. 31, but the actual data collection deadline remains in limbo. A U.S. District judge in San Jose, Calif. issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Census Bureau from ending its operations until a court hearing Thursday, Sept. 17. A lawsuit filed by coalition of cities and civil rights groups contend the bureau ending the count by Sept. 30 would undercount minority communities. The suit demands the bureau use the previous deadline
5 Nikki Greco, constituent services director for Prince George’s County Council member Jolene Ivey, prepares to place a census door hanger on a townhouse in Landover on Sept. 12. (William J. Ford/ The Washington Informer)
of Oct. 31 to complete the count. As of Friday, Sept. 11, Maryland joins nine other states with at least a 70 percent self-response rate. That
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ordination, consistency in response, consistency in training and interdepartmental communication; • Review policies for deploying less lethal technology; and • Supply and require body cameras for all police agencies in the county. Powers said an interview Thursday the department should enhance its mobile crisis unit that connects with mental health professionals. In the Shand case, he said only one or two voices were needed to communicate with Shand to help calm him down. He said the number of people within a mobile crisis unit depends on a jurisdiction’s population and number of incidents not only dealing with police, but also fire emergencies and on a college campus. “The training dictates that you should have one voice, or someone from the mobile crisis unit,” he said. “When you are experiencing someone in a crisis and dealing with anxiety. We are going to increasingly deal with people with mental health issues.” Meanwhile, current and former Prince George’s police officers involved in a 2018 lawsuit against the department and county sent a letter to a police reform task force created by County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. According to the letter dated Thursday from the United Black Police Officers and Hispanic National Law Enforcement associations, it suggests any data received from the county should be met with skepticism. This remains based on a 94-page report from Michael E. Graham, a former 33-year veteran Los Angeles County Sheriff Department who determined the white officers with the
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