Despite the rather ominous title, the proposal I favor in this post is more or less conciliatory in nature rather than confrontational. As the grandson and nephew of policemen, I understand and value the role law enforcement play in helping keep everyday people safe. But we live in times where intentions, actions, missteps and reactions thereof can all have potentially deadly consequences for citizens. Some might say that has always been the case. However, as a democratic society, we are supposed to praise the idea that no one is above the law—including those who enforce it.

That is why I support the Young People’s Amendment to County Council Bill 14-19, which would ensure that at least two young people under the age of 35 would be included in any future Policing Advisory Commission (PAC), as proposed in the original bill. The fact is that in any given month, a majority of stops and arrests in the county by MCPD are of people belonging to that particular age range (under 35). As a millennial myself, I have a hard time believing that I am somehow more inclined towards criminality than someone over the age of 35. Therefore, I see the value in making sure people of my age and background have a voice in helping to advise our police force on how we can work together to both reduce crime and the likelihood of young people spending the best years of their lives behind bars.

While one elected official tried to make claims that young people should instead be placed on an imaginary youth council that does not exist, others like Tom Hucker and Will Jawando have been strong champions of the proposal. I think it merits our attention as county residents, and it would be a positive first step for Montgomery County.