Explanation: Capitals indicate matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill
Introduced by: Councilmember Scott
A Bill Entitled
An Ordinance concerning
title
Citizens Advisory Commission for Public Safety
For the purpose of establishing the Baltimore City Citizens Advisory Commission for Public Safety; providing for the Commission’s composition, terms of office, meetings, quorum, officers, and rules of procedure; requiring the Commission, in cooperation with the Baltimore City Police Department, to develop annually a Community Interaction Recommendations Report; specifying the elements of the Report; and generally relating to the Baltimore City Citizens Advisory Commission for Public Safety.
body
By adding
Article 1 - Mayor, City Council, and Municipal Agencies
Sections 56-1 to 56-5, to be under the new subtitle designation,
“Subtitle 56. Citizens Advisory Commission for Public Safety”
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
Section 1. Be it ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:
Baltimore City Code
Article 1. Mayor, City Council, and Municipal Agencies
Subtitle 56. Citizens Advisory Commission for Public Safety
§ 56-1. Commission established.
There is a Baltimore City Citizens Advisory Commission for Public Safety.
§ 56-2. Commission composition.
(a) In general.
(1) The Advisory Commission comprises 23 members.
(2) Of these:
(i) 20 members are appointed by the Mayor in accordance with City Charter Article IV, § 6; and
(ii) 3 are ex officio members.
(b) Appointed members.
The members appointed by the Mayor are as follows:
(1) a member of the Baltimore City House Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly, to be nominated by the Speaker of the House of Delegates;
(2) a member of the Baltimore City Senate Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly, to be nominated by the President of the Senate;
(3) 2 Baltimore City residents, to be nominated by the President of the City Council;
(4) a representative of the Hispanic community;
(5) a representative of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community;
(6) an individual with expertise in the area of reentry after incarceration;
(7) a representative of the Fraternal Order of Police;
(8) a representative of the Vanguard Justice Society;
(9) a resident of Baltimore City public housing;
(10) an individual at least 14 years old or older and under the age of 21; and
(11) 1 resident of each of the 9 police districts of Baltimore City.
(c) Ex officio members.
The ex officio members are as follows:
(1) the Chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee (or the Chair’s designee);
(2) the Police Commissioner (or the Commissioner’s designee); and
(3) the Director of the Office of Civil Rights and Wage Enforcement (or the Director’s designee).
§ 56-3. Term of appointed members.
(a) In general.
(1) Appointed members of the Advisory Commission serve for a term of 4 years, concurrent with the term of the Mayor.
(2) At the end of a term, an appointed member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
(b) Vacancies.
A member appointed to fill a vacancy in a term:
(1) must meet the same qualifications as that required for the member being succeeded; and
(2) serves only for the rest of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
(c) Term limits.
No appointed member may serve for more than 2 consecutive full terms.
§ 56-4. Officers; Committees.
(a) Officers.
Annually, the Advisory Commission:
(1) shall elect one of its members to serve as the Commission’s Chair; and
(2) and may elect from among its members a Vice-Chair and any other officers that the Commission considers necessary or appropriate.
(b) Committees.
The Advisory Commission may establish committees to assist it in carrying out its functions and duties.
§ 56-5. Meetings, quorum, etc.
(a) Meetings.
(1) The Advisory Commission shall hold public meetings at least once quarterly.
(2) All meetings of the Commission must be conducted in accordance with the State Open Meetings Act (Title 3 of the General Provisions Article of the Maryland Code).
(b) Quorum.
A majority of the Commission’s authorized membership constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.
(c) Voting.
An affirmative vote by a majority of a quorum is needed for any official action.
(d) Rules of procedure.
The Commission may adopt rules of procedure for the conduct of its meetings.
§ 56-5. Community Interaction Recommendations Reports.
(a) In general.
In cooperation with the Baltimore City Police Department, the Advisory Commission shall develop annually a Community Interaction Recommendations Report.
(b) Focus.
The Report shall focus on making recommendations to create consistent positive interactions between police officers and community residents.
(c) Contents.
The report shall:
(1) recommend ways that police officers, by actively participating in neighborhood meetings and events, can bring police together with a wide array of City residents;
(2) identify ways to help build long-term consistent interaction between police officers and youth in Baltimore’s schools, recreation centers, and other youth programs;
(3) identify ways that police officers can interact directly with members of the reentry community in a positive manner;
(4) recommend ways that emphasis can be placed on creating positive interactions with Baltimore’s African-American, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, domestic-violence victim, public housing, and immigrant and refugee communities;
(5) recommend ways that emphasis can be placed on improving relationships between the Police Department and the small business community;
(6) provide ideas for citizen-involved training of police officers;
(7) list and evaluate partnerships between the Police Department and nonprofit organizations and other non-law-enforcement entities;
(8) include recommendations for homeless and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community interactions;
(9) include recommendations on how to recruit and retain City residents as police officers; and
(10) identify ways to form and maintain lasting and coordinated relationships with colleges and universities located in Baltimore City, including Morgan State University and Coppin State University.
(d) Annual Submission.
On or before November 15 of each year, the Advisory Commission shall submit its Report for the ensuing calendar year to the Mayor, the City Council, and, in accordance with § 2-1246 of the State Government Article, the members of the Baltimore City House and Senate Delegations to the Maryland General Assembly.
Section 2. And be it further ordained, That the catchlines contained in this Ordinance are not law and may not be considered to have been enacted as a part of this or any prior Ordinance.
Section 3. And be it further ordained, That this Ordinance takes effect on the 30th day after the date it is enacted.