This morning, Berwyn Heights mayor Cheye Calvo and attorneys for Prince George’s County settled a lawsuit brought by the mayor against the county. The suit followed a 2008 incident in which a SWAT team raided the mayor’s home and killed his two dogs.
Details of the settlement are not yet available. However, Calvo said that the agreement “puts in place meaningful reforms for how law enforcement in the county will operate,” and that the reforms will “bring Prince George’s in line with the highest standards of law enforcement.”
According to Calvo, the settlement addressed many of the concerns he had with the deployment of SWAT teams in the county, as well as the protocol for warrant service and the treatment of animals by law enforcement. Calvo praised county executive Rushern Baker for his willingness to reassess the county’s practices.
“There’s a real struggle happening between the people who want best practices and transparent government, and the defenders of the status quo,” Calvo said. “It’s important that we don’t underestimate that latter group of people.”
The settlement will take a few weeks to finalize, and putting reforms in place could take several months.
“We hope that this is merely one piece of broader reform,” Calvo said.
Prince George’s County Settles SWAT Lawsuit
Agreement may broker policing reforms
This morning, Berwyn Heights mayor Cheye Calvo and attorneys for Prince George’s County settled a lawsuit brought by the mayor against the county. The suit followed a 2008 incident in which a SWAT team raided the mayor’s home and killed his two dogs.
Details of the settlement are not yet available. However, Calvo said that the agreement “puts in place meaningful reforms for how law enforcement in the county will operate,” and that the reforms will “bring Prince George’s in line with the highest standards of law enforcement.”
According to Calvo, the settlement addressed many of the concerns he had with the deployment of SWAT teams in the county, as well as the protocol for warrant service and the treatment of animals by law enforcement. Calvo praised county executive Rushern Baker for his willingness to reassess the county’s practices.
“There’s a real struggle happening between the people who want best practices and transparent government, and the defenders of the status quo,” Calvo said. “It’s important that we don’t underestimate that latter group of people.”
The settlement will take a few weeks to finalize, and putting reforms in place could take several months.
“We hope that this is merely one piece of broader reform,” Calvo said.
Subscribe to Washingtonian
Follow Washingtonian on Twitter
More>> Capital Comment Blog | News & Politics | Party Photos
Most Popular in News & Politics
Every Bus Line in DC Is Changing This Weekend. Here’s What to Know.
Yet Another Anti-Trump Statue Has Shown Up on the National Mall
8 Takeaways From Usha Vance’s Interview With Meghan McCain
Another Mysterious Anti-Trump Statue Has Appeared on the National Mall
Bans on Underage Vaping, Swastika Graffiti, Synthetic Dyes: New Virginia Laws Go Into Effect in July
Washingtonian Magazine
July Issue: The "Best Of" Issue
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
How Would a New DC Stadium Compare to the Last One?
The Culture of Lacrosse Is More Complex Than People Think
Did Television Begin in Dupont Circle?
Kings Dominion’s Wild New Coaster Takes Flight in Virginia
More from News & Politics
Pardoned J6er Will Join Ed Martin’s Justice Department Office, Trump Outlines Hypothetical Alligator Escape Plan, and We Have Fireworks Show Recommendations
The “World’s Largest Outdoor Museum” Is Coming to DC. Here’s a Preview.
A Cult Classic of Cannabis Brands Is Making Its DC Debut
The Commanders Wine and Dine DC Council Members; GOP Senator Suggests Tax Language Was “Airdropped” Into Spending Bill; and Trump Wants DOGE to Investigate Musk
100 Reasons to Love DC Right Now
How DC’s Attorney General Got So Good at Double Dutch
DC Council Ponders New Way to Expel Trayon White, the GOP’s Budget Bill Advances, and We Found You Some Tacos With Ethiopian Flair
For DNC Chair Ken Martin, the Big Beautiful Bill Is Personal