MARYLAND TASK FORCE ON IN-CUSTODY RESTRAINT-RELATED DEATH INVESTIGATIONS

Appointed by Governor: ten vacancies

Appointed by Senate President: one vacancy

Appointed by House Speaker: one vacancy

Appointed by Attorney General: two vacancies

Appointed by Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Maryland: one vacancy

Ex officio: Meena Seshamani, M.D., Ph.D., Secretary of Health; Carolyn J. Scruggs, Secretary of Public Safety & Correctional Services; Col. Roland L. Butler, Jr., Secretary of State Police; Natasha M. Dartigue, Public Defender; Stephanie Dean, M.D., Chief Medical Examiner.

Staff: Bethany Young, Ph.D.

c/o Governor's Office of Crime Prevention & Policy
100 Community Place, Crownsville, MD 21032
(410) 697-9297; 1-877-687-9004 (toll free); fax: (410) 321-3116
e-mail: bethany.young@maryland.gov

100 Community Place, Crownsville, Maryland, July 2016. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.

In May 2025, the Maryland Task Force on In-Custody Restraint-Related Death Investigations was formed by the Governor (Executive Order 01.01.2025.11).

The Task Force charge is to identify ways to improve in-custody restraint-related death investigations in Maryland, and recommend the establishment of a multidisciplinary statewide oversight committee to review future manner-of-death determinations for all in-custody restraint-related deaths within the State. Based on the re-evaluation of each case included in the Independent Audit of Restraint-Related Death Investigations at Office of Chief Medical Examiner, 2003-19, the Task Force will consider ways to reduce the risk of in-custody restraint-related deaths. In consultation with the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission, the Task Force is to evaluate the current standards for law enforcement agencies to document and investigate in-custody restraint-related deaths, and if necessary, make recommendations to improve Maryland's training policies and ensure that they meet or exceed national standards.

Further, the Task Force will explore the intersection of police encounters, mental health and substance abuse, and in-custody restraint-related deaths; and identify opportunities to promote greater collaboration between law enforcement and other agencies with specific expertise, such as mental health and substance abuse professionals. In addition, the Task Force is to evaluate the need and feasibility of conducting a subsequent audit of the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, and commencing such an audit, if necessary.

The Task Force consists of twenty-one members. Of these, the Governor appoints ten members. In turn, the Senate President, House Speaker, and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Maryland each appoint one member; and the Attorney General appoints two members. Six members serve ex officio. The Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention and Policy chairs the Task Force.

Authorization for the Task Force ends December 31, 2027.

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