§ 18-186.01. Legislative Findings.

(a)

The procedures to be used when any law enforcement officer is subject to investigation or interrogation for any reason which could lead to disciplinary action, demotion, or dismissal are established under Article 27, Sections 727-734D of the Annotated Code of Maryland ("Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights"), and are in no way supplanted by the procedures set forth in this Subdivision.

(b)

It is found and declared that when a complaint is filed or an incident occurs in which a Prince George's County Police Officer is alleged to have discharged a firearm in an attempt to strike or control another person regardless of whether injury occurs, accidentally discharged a firearm, a person dies during a law enforcement officer's use of force or while in the custody of a law enforcement officer, or a law enforcement officer or other person has filed a complaint with the Prince George's County Police Department or the Citizen Complaint Oversight Panel regarding the conduct of a law enforcement officer, the public needs assurance that the investigation is complete, thorough, and impartial, and that the report and recommendations of the investigating unit are reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances.

(c)

It is declared that the purpose of the Citizen Complaint Oversight Panel is to review the report of the investigation and to advise the Chief of the Prince George's County Police Department if the investigation was complete, thorough, and impartial.

(d)

It is a further declared purpose of the Citizen Complaint Oversight Panel to review the processing of complaints by law enforcement officers or other persons and to comment on the action taken on such complaints, to report its comments and conclusions to the Chief Administrative Officer upon the final disposition of each case, and to issue an annual report to the public.

(e)

It is a further declared purpose of the Citizen Complaint Oversight Panel, that, if in the judgment of the Citizen Complaint Oversight Panel, substantive issues have not been adequately or impartially addressed by the investigation of complaints by the Internal Affairs Division, the Citizen Complaint Oversight Panel may conduct its own investigation.

(CB-25-1990; CB-59-2001)