MARYLAND, December 15 - For Immediate Release: Thursday, December 15, 2022

The Montgomery County Office of the County Attorney seeks expressions of interest from lawyers interested in being appointed, pursuant to Montgomery County Charter Section 213, as special counsel to provide legal services to the newly formed Police Accountability Board (PAB) and Administrative Charging Committee (ACC) sitting in Montgomery County, Maryland. Additional information on the PAB/ACC can be found here.

The PAB and ACC is tasked with reviewing issues and receiving public complaints arising from local Law Enforcement agencies including the Montgomery County Department of Police, the municipal police departments, and the Sheriff’s office.

The PAB is responsible for meeting with directors of the law enforcement agencies in the County, receiving public complaints of police misconduct and forwarding them to the appropriate law enforcement agency; advising the County Executive and the County Council on policing matters; and reviewing the outcomes of disciplinary matters considered by the ACC.

The ACC is responsible for reviewing the findings of each law enforcement agency’s internal investigations, to include review of all evidence and facts in that investigation, and determine what, if any, administrative charges should be issued against involved officers. The ACC has the authority to bring officers in for questioning before the ACC. The ACC shall recommend discipline, consistent with the disciplinary matrix as prepared by the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission, for all officers administratively charged. The ACC is responsible for issuing a written opinion for each complaint they review, including their findings, and forwarding the written opinion to the head of the appropriate law enforcement agency. See Montgomery County Code Sections 35-23 through 35-25, Maryland Annotated Code, Public Safety Article, Title 3-101, et. seq.

Responsibilities of the position include providing legal advice to the PAB and ACC regarding their legislative duties. The lawyer will be selected by the County Attorney and their name will be submitted to the County Council for approval. The selected lawyer should possess an ability to work collaboratively with the local law enforcement agencies to advise the PAB and ACC. Retired judges that are no longer sitting before any Courts and lawyers with prior experience in civil rights litigation, criminal prosecution, and criminal defense are encouraged to apply.

Interested lawyers should submit a cover letter of interest, curriculum vitae with references, by email, to John P. Markovs, County Attorney, 101 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Rockville, Maryland 20850, john.markovs@montgomerycountymd.gov, by January 9, 2023. Questions regarding the appointment should be directed to Mr. Markovs by email and/or by telephone (240) 777-6700. If you’d like to learn more about the open position please follow this link to read a letter from Mr. Markovs about the opening.

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Release ID: 22-419
Media Contact: Joe Dominguez 240-743-8865