Police reform: Wicomico appoints law enforcement review board members

Laura Benedict Sileo, Salisbury Daily Times
·2 min read

The Wicomico County Council unanimously approved the county executive's nominees to the Police Accountability Board and Police Administrative Charging Committee on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

As a part of a sweeping police reform law passed by the state legislature last year, Baltimore City and each of Maryland’s 23 counties were required to create their own citizen-led police accountability boards by July 1.

The boards are tasked to work with local government to improve policing and review complaints of police misconduct filed by members of the public. The new system replaces the Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights. Parts of the legislation are set by Maryland law, some are included in proposed state regulations and other pieces are under the discretion of county leadership.

In April 2022, the Wicomico County Council created, and signed it was into law by the county executive, three police oversight boards, collectively called the Law Enforcement Review Board of Wicomico County. The third board, required by the state, is the trial board.

The Wicomico County nominees were selected from the 37 applications received by the county, with 33 eligible after initial screening, acting County Executive John Psota said at the Tuesday council meeting.

Applicants were sorted into their respective council districts per their home address, Psota said. As required by state law, race, gender, culture and diversity were a consideration in board member selection in an attempt to reflect the community when possible. Recent census data was factored in.

The Police Accountability Board is comprised of nine members appointed by the Wicomico County executive. The Police Administrative Charging Committee is a five-member board, with two members appointed by the county executive, and the chair of the PAB also sits on this board as well.

Here are the approved Police Accountability Board members and their terms:

  • Gaylon E. Adkins (2 years)

  • J. Anthony Dickerson (1 year)

  • Elizabeth Griffith (1 year)

  • Deanna Y. Hall (1 year)

  • Deborah L. Hammel (2 years)

  • Ronald B. Lewis (Chair, 2 years)

  • Sarah E. McGarity (1 year)

  • David H. Owens (2 years)

  • Habacuc Petion (2 years)

Here are the approved Police Administrative Charging Committee members and their terms:

  • Ronald B. Lewis — as chair of PAB, also sits on this board

  • Debra D. McJilton (1 year)

  • Mark David Babe Wilson (2 years)

This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Police reform in Wicomico: board members named