County Council to Vote on Appointments July 5
FREDERICK, Md. – Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner has nominated 11 residents to serve on Frederick County’s inaugural Police Accountability Board. The board will identify trends concerning police misconduct allegations, and recommend any policy changes they believe are necessary. The individuals who have been nominated by Executive Gardner bring a variety of professional experience and expertise, including law enforcement, human resources, behavioral health, military, business, and law. A total of 112 people applied to serve on the board.
“We saw an extraordinary level of community interest with this board,” Executive Gardner said. “The individuals I am appointing reflect a wide diversity in their backgrounds, life and work experience, race, LGBTQ status, and ethnicity. Two of the appointees are first generation immigrants.
“Most important,” she continued, “these individuals reflect an interest in fairness and understand the responsibility associated with serving on our first Board. I am confident they will represent county residents well and will fairly balance the legitimate and sometimes competing interests that will be considered by the Board.”
Dawn Oram will serve as chair of the Board. She is a human resources professional and will serve a three-year term. Other appointees, their expertise, and their years of term, include:
- 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)
*Residents of Frederick City (5)
Each county in Maryland is required to appoint a Police Accountability Board, according to the Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021. Frederick County’s Police Accountability Board will manage the complaint process for the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, the Frederick Police Department, the Brunswick Police Department, and the Thurmont Police Department.
Members are appointed by the County Executive and confirmed by the County Council to serve three-year terms, although initially some appointees will serve one- or two-year terms so appointments are staggered. The board will meet at least quarterly. All members must undergo training from the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission, and any other training deemed necessary, and will be subject to the Frederick County Ethics Law.
An interview panel met with 31 of the 112 applicants. Serving on the panel were the County Executive, the Mayors of the City of Brunswick, The City of Frederick, and the Town of Thurmont, Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer Michael Hughes, and Chief of Staff Margaret Nusbaum.
The Police Accountability Board and the County Executive will appoint members to an Administrative Charging Commission. The Commission will meet monthly to review complaints, internal investigations related to those complaints, and recommend disciplinary action in accordance with a statewide disciplinary matrix.
###