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Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy

Maryland Task Force on In-Custody Restraint-Related Death Investigations

Background

Executive Order 01.01.2025.11 established the Maryland Task Force on In-Custody Restraint-Related Death Investigations.

The Task Force is responsible for reviewing Maryland's approach to investigating in-custody restraint-related deaths and recommending improvements to policies, practices, and oversight.

Its responsibilities include:

  • Identifying ways to improve investigations of in-custody restraint-related deaths.
  • Recommending whether to establish a multidisciplinary statewide oversight committee to review future manner-of-death determinations for these cases.
  • Reviewing findings from the audit and identifying strategies to reduce the risk of future in-custody restraint-related deaths.
  • Working with the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission to evaluate current law enforcement standards for documenting and investigating in-custody restraint-related deaths and recommending improvements, when needed, to meet or exceed national standards.
  • Examining the relationship between police encounters, behavioral health, substance use, and in-custody restraint-related deaths, and identifying opportunities for greater collaboration between law enforcement, behavioral health providers, and other partners.
  • Evaluating the need for a future audit and, if appropriate, recommending or initiating that work.

Membership

  • Dorothy Lennig, Esq., Chair, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy
  • Del. Luke Clippinger, Esq., Chair of the Judiciary Committee for the House of Delegates
  • Brian L. DeLeonardo, Associate Judge for the Circuit Court for Carroll County
  • Hannibal Kemerer, Chief of Staff to the Public Defender, MD Office of the Public Defender
  • Tiffany Dayemo, Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Equity, Policy, and Engagement for the Office of the Attorney General
  • Julie Shapiro, Assistant Attorney General in the Independent Investigations Division for the Office of the Attorney General
  • Natasha M. Dartigue, Public Defender for the Office of the Public Defender
  • Dr. Meg Sullivan, Deputy Secretary of Public Health Services for the Office of the Secretary of Health
  • Stephanie Dean, M.D., Chief Medical Examiner of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
  • Lt. Col. Kenny Brown, Superintendent of State Police for the Maryland State Police
  • Donald Bauer, Deputy Executive Director, Intelligence and Investigative Division of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (Retired)
  • Michael Dunty, Chief of Homicide Division for the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office
  • Steven Trostle, Chief of Public Trust & Police Integrity Division for the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office
  • Lt. William Gleason, Lieutenant of the Cheverly Police Department
  • Lt. Steven J. Thomas, Youth & Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor for the Anne Arundel Police Department
  • Col. Andrew Rohrer, Forensic Pathologist
  • Dr. Roger A. Mitchell Jr., Chief Medical Officer for the Howard University Adult Ambulatory Care Center
  • Jessica Williams, Esq., Associate Legal Counsel for the Governor’s Executive Office
  • Vijay Ramasamy, Policy Advisor for the Governor’s Executive Office