They are 11 individuals who will receive complaints about police misconduct.
Frederick, Md. (KM) – The Frederick County Council on Tuesday night appointed the 11 members nominated by the County Executive to the Police Accountability Board. Among its duties, the Board will receive complaints about police misconduct from the Sheriff’s Office, and the Frederick, Brunswick and Thurmont Police Departments.
The members of the Board are:
- Shannon Bohrer – Retired law enforcement (3 years)
- Robert Effler – Military/intelligence (resident of Brunswick) (term 2 years)
- Shawn Goldstein* – Commercial Real Estate (term 2 years)
- Ivonne Gutiérrez* – Human Resources/Corrections; Labor Relations (term 2 years)
- Katherine Jones* – Lawyer (term 3 years)
- Therese Keegan* – Behavioral Health, Clinical Chaplain (term 1 year)
- Anthony Koomson* – International Humanitarian Aid (term 3 years)
- Nestor “Neal” Machin – IT System Engineering/Former Marine (term 1 year)
- Gabrielle Wachter – Project Management/Writer (term 1 year)
- Randolph Waesche Jr. – Emergency Management (resident of Thurmont) (term 2 years)
Dawn Oram will serve as chairperson of the board. Her term is for three years.
Each county is required by state law to have a police accountability board.
Margaret Nusbaum, the Chief of Staff for the County Executive’s Office, says the Board’s membership is diverse. “We have two individuals who are first generation immigrants in this group. We have five individuals who are White. Two who represent the Hispanic community; and four who are Black to make out a total of 11,” she said.
She says the County received 112 applications from citizens who want to serve on the Board. That list was narrowed down to 31, and out of that, 11 were chosen. But, Nusbaum, the remainder of the 31 who were not chosen will be considered for the Administrative Charging Commission.
Early in the meeting, the Council took public testimony. Alex Hunt, a former public defender, said the selection process for this Board was not transparent. “At the end of the day, we should want the candidates that are best equipped to handle the rigors of the position,” he said. “We can accomplish diversity and relevant experience simultaneously, but we shouldn’t be seeking one to the detriment of the other. Because at the end of the day, the common thread here is this board is all about accountability, and I have yet to see any of that coming the other side of the equation.”
“I don’t want to come across as the ramblings of a jaded ,overlooked applicant. I’m a former public defender. I’ve made a career of being overlooked and ignored,”: Hunt continued. :”But I truly want you all to reflect on the actual purpose of the board. There are some things that cannot be accounted for by checking a box.”
Nusbaum had this final thought for the Council. “We believe they will fairly and objectively carry out their roles on the Police Accountability Board,” Nusbaum says. “We have no hesitation.”
By Kevin McManus
