Md. House Approves Police Reform Package

The Maryland House of Delegates has approved a much-debated package of police reforms which includes limitations on no-knock warrants and addresses other matters of law enforcement conduct.

Provisions in the Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights would also be curtailed.

The amended legislation goes back to the State Senate.

The vote of 96-40 came one day after a rally led by the House and Senate Minority Caucuses, who contend the measure is anti-law enforcement and could hurt efforts to recruit police officers.

“If you listen to those who are pushing this bill, you would assume that police officers are the ones actually committing the majority of crimes in our state, that police are the ones responsible for the high rates of violent crime and murders in Maryland”, House Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga, R-Baltimore and Harford Counties, said Wednesday. “This is nonsense. Law enforcement, just like any group of people, will have bad actors, and bad actors need to be dealt with.”