Committees of the Montgomery County Council will examine a number of issues on July 7, 2025, including the implementation of the consent search policy, police radio encryption, proposed revisions to the regulations governing alarm systems, a report on street categorization, and the master planning process.
The combined Transportation and Environment (TE) and Planning, Housing, and Parks (PHP) Committee will consider Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) Report 2025-5, Street Classification and the Master Planning Process, during its meeting on Monday, July 7 at 9:30 a.m., according to the press release.
The TE Committee is composed of Council President Kate Stewart, Council Member Marilyn Balcombe, and Chair Evan Glass.
The PHP Committee is composed of Council Member Natali Fani-Gonz Lez, Council Vice President Will Jawando, and Chair Andrew Friedson.
In addition to reviewing Executive Regulation 12-25, Policies, Procedures and Fees for Alarm Businesses and Alarm Users, the Public Safety (PS) Committee will be briefed on police radio encryption and given an update on the police consent search policy at their meeting at 10 a.m.
The PS Committee is composed of Councilmembers Dawn Luedtke and Kristin Mink, as well as Chair Sidney Katz.
Each agenda item is explained in further detail below.
Report 2025-5, Street Classification and the Master Planning Process, Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO)
Review: The OLO Report 2025-5, Street Classification and the Master Planning Process: Dynamic Policies / Static Documents, will be examined by the joint TE and PHP Committee.The research examines how master plans, functional master plans, and the Montgomery County Code are used in the street classification process. The report’s goal is to assist in resolving discrepancies between the suggestions and policies pertaining to street classification that are included in these publications. An overview of County land use planning papers, an explanation of each document’s function in the street categorization process, and an assessment of the information’s public accessibility are all included in Report 2025-5.
Police Radio Encryption
Briefing: The Montgomery County Police Department’s (MCPD) recent implementation of complete police radio encryption will be discussed with the PS Committee. For over a decade, numerous MCPD tactical groups have been using encrypted radio. In 2021, the County switched to the new public safety radio system, encrypting the remaining non-dispatch groups.
The MCPD claims that encrypted dispatch communications safeguard both officer safety and the privacy of callers and victims. Notably, personally identifying information—such as names, addresses, medical problems, or criminal histories—that is frequently sent in dispatch communications is protected by encrypted radio shields. By preventing them from listening in real time to the public safety response, encryption also helps to eliminate swatters, or people who report crises in a fraudulent manner.
The Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) will continue to record and make dispatch conversations accessible. The Public Information Officer (PIO) of MCPD will also keep informing the media and the public via the department’s social media accounts about incidents that occur throughout the County in a timely, accurate, and transparent manner.
Application of the Police Consent Search Policy and Its Results
Update: MCPD’s consent search procedure will be implemented and its results will be reported to the PS Committee. The PS Committee was briefed on the usage of consent searches and its new policy at a meeting on December 9, 2024. The policy makes a number of revisions to ensure that searches are neither coercive or arbitrary, especially when utilized in communities of color. In addition to providing further information on the new policy experience, this briefing will serve as a follow-up to the last meeting.
A consent search happens when a police officer gets someone’s permission to search them without a warrant. The goal of the December 2024 policy changes is to guarantee that an officer must have a valid, reasonable suspicion before requesting permission to conduct a search. An officer must also capture the encounter on body-worn camera footage, obtain specific demographic and contraband data, and request consent or refusal of the search via a new phone app or another written form. The consent search must also be reviewed by a supervisor within five working days, according to the new regulation.
Policies, Procedures, and Fees for Alarm Businesses and Alarm Users, Executive Regulation 12-25
Review: Executive Regulation 12-25, which would supersede and repeal Regulation 1-19, will be examined by the PS Committee. The new rule raises some expenses associated with the MCPD’s initiative to reduce false alarms. The alarm user registration price for commercial alarm users has been raised from $30 to $60, and the biannual alarm user registration renewal fee has been raised from $10 to $20. Nearly 89,000 people in the County were registered alarm users in 2024, and 8,889 false alarms were reported, according to MCPD. According to MCPD’s estimations, 6,900 alarm calls in 2024 were deemed unnecessary for police dispatch, saving an estimated $4,649 hours of officer time and almost $1 million. According to the fiscal impact statement, if Executive Regulation 12-25 is authorized, County revenues might rise by $260,000, bringing the total expected revenues for Fiscal Year 2026 to $1.6 million.
