Please join us to show support for banning consent searches at the Montgomery County Council Public Safety Committee work session for the Freedom to Leave Act (Bill 2-24), Monday, September 16, at 9 a.m.
Community Organizations Host Press Conference in Support of Freedom To Leave Act to Limit Consent Searches in Montgomery County
On Monday, September 16, 2024, community members and local organizations in the Decriminalize Montgomery County Campaign, will hold a press conference outside of the Montgomery County Council Building (100 Maryland Avenue) in support of the Freedom to Leave Act (Bill 2-24), introduced by Councilmember Will Jawando, which would ban police consent searches during traffic stops in Montgomery County.
Speakers include:
- Eden Aaron, CASA
- Gregory Brown, Public Policy Counsel, ACLU of Maryland
- Peter Gray, Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA)
- Ndhili Jones, Montgomery County community member
Why our speakers support the Freedom to Leave Act:
“Consent searches aren’t truly consensual. For so many people, especially vulnerable community members, like immigrants, or anyone who is Black in this County, consenting is a survival tactic, not a choice.” –Eden Aaron, CASA
“Consent searches don’t keep us safe. Police stop many drivers just so they can search their cars, but consent searches rarely result in finding anything illegal. Instead, police should focus traffic enforcement on dangerous drivers.” –Peter Gray, WABA
“Consent searches aren’t effective. Data from around the country show that when police are forced to provide a legal reason (probable cause) to search a car, they are far more likely to find something in it than when they engage in fishing expeditions through consent searches.” –Gregory Brown, ACLU of Maryland
“Consent searches cause harm. In addition to the fear and stress you feel when you’re held on the side of the road surrounded by police, there’s the practical things, like being late to pick up your kids from school, or late to work. I’ve lived in the county 20 years. Went to school here, graduated here, my kids go to school here. I got pulled over, and the police asked me ‘can I search your car?’ The police pulled the dogs out, said they smelled drugs. No drugs were found. I don’t think you should be searching anybody like that.” –Ndhili Jones, Montgomery County resident
About the Decriminalize Montgomery County Campaign:
The Decriminalize Montgomery County Campaign, composed of community and civil rights advocacy organizations including Young People for Progress (YPP), the Silver Spring Justice Coalition (SSJC), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Maryland, and Jews United for Justice (JUFJ), shares a commitment to advocating for justice, equity, and improved well-being for all residents of Montgomery County, Maryland. We call for urgent decriminalization and investment in our communities, as well as redress of issues without policing and incarceration. We recognize that Black and brown members of our community have borne the brunt of our historical reliance on police and prisons through excessive policing, over incarceration, and police-inflicted violence. We believe that safety for all community members requires non-violent and non-carceral solutions. In 2024, we aim to create safer and more equitable communities by advocating for the decriminalization of young people in schools and drivers in traffic stops.
