On Wednesday, Feb. 19, the Johns Hopkins University Police Accountability Board hosted their second meeting of the spring semester to discuss policies and logistics of the Johns Hopkins Police Department (JHPD). The board, which was established in 2019, is tasked with presenting community feedback to University and JHPD administration, reviewing JHPD crime metrics, and assessing procedures and training to recommend improvements.
The meeting was livestreamed as a webinar and was open to the public. Eight board members attended the meeting, which shared updates on the police department’s staffing, training and the Community Engagement Plan.
The meeting began with the board receiving a report from Laura Rossi, the Director of Human Resources at Peabody and the chair of the training committee for JHPD employees. Rossi outlined preliminary actions taken, including consultations with the Senior Director of Compliance and Training, and a review of personnel procedures, such as the Training Advisory Committee.
“Participation in the [training advisory] committee will allow the Accountability Board to review, recommend and provide feedback related to training and training compliance,” Rossi noted.
The meeting continued with an overview of the department’s progress, presented by Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Branville G. Bard, Jr. Bard stated that the department currently has 13 employees, including one chief, three deputy chiefs, one captain, one lieutenant, one full-fledged officer and several officer trainees.
Bard described that the department plans to expand in 2025 and aims to reach 100 employees by 2028.
“I’m hopeful that this year we will hire 25 to 30 officers,“ he said. “I expect that we will hire up to our statutory capacity of 100 employees within the next three years.”
Next, Bard discussed the Community Engagement Plan for the police force. He emphasized that, while the current plan is nearly finalized, the department will incorporate board feedback before it is officially finalized.
“The engagement plan stresses collaborating with campus and campus adjacent communities [and] the equitable delivery of services,“ he said. “...A big portion of our community engagement strategy is going to involve and be funneled through activities coming out of the Police Athletic and Activities league.”
A board member raised a concern brought by community members on the East Baltimore campus on how they could distinguish JHPD officers from other security personnel and the Baltimore City police.
Bard acknowledged this concern, noting that uniform recognition is addressed in the engagement plan. He described an infographic detailing the differences between JHPD and those worn by city police officers and Hopkins public safety officers. He emphasized the intentional choice of an oval-shaped badge, designed to reduce confusion with traditional eagle-topped badges used by local police and sheriffs.
Bard stated that the infographic will be posted on the website soon.
A question was raised about the branding of public safety vehicles. Bard stated that currently, seven different designs are in use for public safety vehicles, but plans are underway to standardize vehicle appearances across the public safety department. Public safety vehicles will also feature clear branding to distinguish them from police vehicles, which will be marked with the word “police.”
A board members suggested including vehicle information in the infographic to help the public easily recognize the differences. Updates on the new vehicle designs will be posted on the Public Safety website in the coming weeks.
Board members also reviewed Section Three of their governance guidelines, which covers meeting frequency, open meeting requirements and closed session definitions. After confirming that all meetings to date have been open, the board unanimously voted to adopt Section Three.
Section Four, addressing debate and discussion, was similarly passed after a brief clarification. Board members agreed that all motions must be seconded and that debates will follow the Robert’s Rules of Order, with some flexibility to allow for community input. Voting for this section also passed unanimously.
For Section Five, the board introduced guidelines for public engagement during meetings. These included protocols for submitting comments and the procedures for attending virtually. The section emphasized the importance of maintaining decorum and ensuring all voices are heard, while also providing a structure for addressing disruptions.
Attendees wishing to speak or comment must sign up in advance or at the beginning of the meeting. The board struck a provision that would require public attendees wishing to speak to submit their their names prior to the meeting.
Section Six passed with all members in favor. In Section Seven, the board considering voting procedures, confirming the quorum and majority vote requirements. They also highlighted the importance of staying within the allotted time frame for public meetings, ensuring meetings are respectful of the community’s time. In addition, the board clarified that all communications intended for the Accountability Board should first go through the general Hopkins Police Accountability Board email. From there, the chair or vice-chair would ensure that all board members received the necessary information.
Community concerns were also discussed during the meeting. One board member stated that at a recent neighborhood association gathering for the Mount Vernon-Belvedere Association, questions were raised about the jurisdiction of the JHPD and how it would apply to student housing. The member stated that the current language in the JHPD’s jurisdictional guidelines states that patrol areas will extend one block in any direction from buildings used for educational purposes or educational use. The concern raised was whether this would include student housing facilities, potentially expanding patrol areas.
The meeting concluded with updates on the progress of the bylaws and reaffirmation of the board's commitment to clear communication and transparency. The board will continue working on finalizing details, and, once the bylaws are formally approved, they will be posted for public review at https://publicsafety.jhu.edu.
The next full board meeting scheduled for March 19, 2025.
