Baltimore Residents Demand Tougher Laws On Police Officers At Hearing

By Mark Puente
The Baltimore Sun
Nov. 24, 2014

With the next General Assembly starting in January, more than 100 community members demanded Saturday that state lawmakers toughen laws holding police officers more accountable for misconduct.

During a public hearing on Saturday at the University of Baltimore, residents urged members of Baltimore City's House delegation to revise Maryland's law enforcement Bill of Rights, which some say is too protective of officers, and to give more power to the city's police civilian review board so it has a greater role in disciplining officers.

Others suggestions included eliminating the $200,000 cap on payouts in most lawsuits when residents sue officers for misconduct allegations.

"Litigation in some ways is the only way to weed out bad officers," attorney Dwight Pettit, who has sued dozens of officers in 40 years, told the panel of lawmakers. "That $200,000 limit isn't enough incentive to make them stop the behavior."

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