For Immediate Release: February 19, 2025
ROCKVILLE, Md.– The Advisory Commission on Policing (ACP) of Montgomery County is holding a virtual public forum on March 10, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. The Commission will provide an overview of the Montgomery County Police Department’s (MCPD) current consent search policy, followed by an opportunity for residents to ask questions and provide feedback. Other police departments -- municipalities, park police, state police, etc. -- are not under the ACP’s purview. Council Vice President Will Jawando, Public Safety Committee Chair Councilmember Sidney Katz, MCPD Chief Marc Yamada, and State’s Attorney John McCarthy have been invited to speak.
Residents are invited to submit written questions or comments prior to the public forum, and organizations are asked to consolidate submissions when applicable.
Note: Attendees can ask questions using the Q&A box in the zoom webinar during the event. For any questions that are not answered live, we will follow up with the panelists to get answers, and we will post them on the ACP website at a later date.
Community members may register for the virtual public forum here.
The event will also be livestreamed on the Council’s Facebook page.
Background
Established in 2019, the Policing Advisory Commission was created by the Montgomery County Council in response to the ongoing public dialogue around policing practices and as an effort to increase community involvement in matters of public safety. Following public input, the County Council made slight modifications to the Commission in 2023, including renaming it the Advisory Commission on Policing. The Commission’s mission is to advise the Council on policing matters and recommend policies, programs, legislation, or regulations with regards to policing.
The Commission is composed of 13 public voting members and two non-voting, ex-officio members - the police chief (or his designee) and the president of an employee organization. The current members of the Commission are:
- Brian Bellamy (Chair)
- Cherri Branson (Vice Chair)
- Petros Bein
- C. Arthur Blair
- Kristy Daphnis
- Christina DeLane
- Francisco Xavier González
- Henry Mulzac
- John Stevenson
- Teresa Walsh
- Sean Watson
- Sony George
- Eva Quittman
- Captain Kathy Estrada (ex officio member)
- Sergeant Cate Brewer (ex officio member)
To learn more about the Advisory Commission on Policing, please visit the webpage. For more information on the public hearing please contact Susan Farag at [email protected].