ORIGIN & FUNCTIONS

COUNTY ATTORNEY

The County Attorney serves as legal advisor to the Board of County Commissioners, and other officers and agencies of Washington County Government, and is responsible for all legal affairs of the County's government. Moreover, the County Attorney handles all civil litigation involving the County, its officers, or employees and oversees the Police Accountability Board.

POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD

Chapter 59, Acts of 2021

The Police Accountability Board receives complaints of police misconduct filed by members of the public. On a quarterly basis, the Board meets with heads of law enforcement agencies and works with those agencies and County government to improve County policing.

Legal mandates providing for the Board also authorized Charging Committees and Trial Boards, whose civilian members are appointed by the Police Accountability Board. On a quarterly basis, the Board reviews disciplinary matters considered by Charging Committees.

Appointed to three-year terms by the Board of County Commissioners, the Police Accountability Board consists of seven members. The Board of County Commissioners chooses the Chair (Code Public Safety Article, secs. 3-102 through 3-104).

ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGING COMMITTEE

Meeting at least monthly, the Committee reviews the findings of each law enforcement agency’s investigation of police misconduct complaints forwarded by the agency to the Committee. From information related to the investigation, the Committee makes determinations and recommendations. It may review body camera footage, call a police officer before the Committee, determine if a police officer should be charged administratively, or recommend discipline. The Committee may submit written opinions to the director of the law enforcement agency, the accused police officer, the complainant, and the Police Accountability Board.

Five members constitute the Committee. Two are appointed to four-year terms by the Board of County Commissioners, and two by the Police Accountability Board. One member serves ex officio. Annually, the Chair is chosen by the Committee (Code Public Safety Article, secs. 3-102 through 3-104).

PUBLIC DEFENDER

For indigent defendants in Washington County, the District Public Defender provides legal representation, including related necessary services and facilities. The District Public Defender assures effective assistance and continuity of counsel to indigent accused taken into custody and indigent defendants in criminal and juvenile proceedings before Maryland courts (Code Criminal Procedure Article, secs. 16-201 through 16-213).

STATE'S ATTORNEY

Starting in 1818, duties of the State's Attorney were first carried out by the District Attorney (Chapter 146, Acts of 1817). Appointed by the Governor in each judicial district, the District Attorney prosecuted cases on behalf of the State. By 1821, the District Attorney was renamed the Deputy Attorney and was appointed by the Attorney General (Chapter 126, Acts of 1821). The office of State's Attorney was first authorized in 1851 (Constitution of 1851, Art. V, secs. 1-5).

The State's Attorney prosecutes and defends, on the part of the State, all criminal cases in Washington County in which the State may be interested (Code Criminal Procedure Article, secs. 15-101 through 15-109, 15-422).

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FATALITY REVIEW TEAM

The Team seeks to develop an understanding of the causes and incidences of deaths related to domestic violence in the county; and develop plans for and recommend changes within those agencies that members represent (Chapter 233, Acts of 2005; Code Family Law Article, secs. 4-701 through 4-707).

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WASHINGTON COUNTY, MARYLAND

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