Police Reform
Tracking Progress: Prince George’s County Police Reform Efforts
On February 5, 2021, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks accepted 46 out of 50 recommendations of the Prince George’s County Police Reform Work Group. The Work Group was established by Executive Order in July 2020 to ensure that the Prince George’s County Police Department became a model for the nation.
Comprised of community advocates and public officials, the Work Group was tasked with providing a comprehensive operations and policy review of the Prince George’s County Police Department to develop recommendations to help guide the County’s police reform efforts. The Work Group’s review included the full spectrum of law enforcement operations including hiring, training, and use of force policies.
County Executive Alsobrooks adopted recommendations focusing on the areas below, and since February tremendous progress has been made to implement many of the reforms. While the hard work of police reform continues, the County Executive and the Prince George's County Police department are committed to providing the public with regular updates on the status of these reforms.
Areas of Reform:
- Community Engagement
- Employee Recruitment and Retention
- Financial Management
- Independent Oversight, Compliance, and Integrity
- Internal Policies and Regulation
Current Implementation Progress
Police Reform Implementation Tracker. (Please Note: This is a working document that will be updated regularly)
New Leadership for the Prince George’s County Police Department
In addition to implementing the reforms outlined above, County Executive Alsobrooks conducted a national search to select Malik Aziz as the new Chief of Police for the Prince George’s County Police Department.
Chief Aziz is a 29-year veteran of the Dallas Police Department and began his tenure in Prince George’s County on May 9, 2021. In Dallas, Aziz served in various command roles within the Department. Aziz earned a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at Arlington and an MBA from the University of Dallas. He attended PERF’s - Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) and the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA. He served as the national chair of the National Black Police Association and participated in former President Barack Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing in 2015. Chief Aziz was officially confirmed by the Prince George’s County Council and sworn into office on July 6, 2021.
Additional Background on the Prince George’s County Police Reform Work Group
The Work Group was co-chaired by Judge Maureen Lamasney, Prince George’s County Circuit Court Judge (Retired), and State Delegate Alonzo Washington. The co-chairs were joined by residents and public officials with relevant specialties and backgrounds in areas such as law enforcement, police reform, and civil rights. The Work Group relied on a foundation of equitable, data-driven metrics intended to yield collaboration, transparency, and results-oriented recommendations. After a comprehensive study and review of the Police Department, the Work Group created and approved a recommendation report submitted to the County Executive on December 4, 2020. The Work Group's recommendation report is available here.