Alan Greenblatt is a GOVERNING correspondent.
E-mail: mailbox@governing.comTwitter: @governing
SWAT Regulation
Last night, the Maryland Senate unanimously cleared a bill for Governor O'Malley's signature that would allow the state to oversee local deployment of SWAT teams.
The bill came in response to a highly-publicized incident in which Prince George's County police raided the home of Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo, killing his dogs in a mistaken drug raid.
Calvo released a statement that said:
"Although the botched raid of my home and killing of our dogs, Payton and Chase, have received considerable attention in the media, it is important to underscore that this bill is about much more than an isolated, high-profile mistake. It is a about a growing and troubling trend where law enforcement agencies are using SWAT teams to perform ordinary police work."
Written and compiled by staff writers and editors, GOVERNING View is an on-the-ground, and sometimes behind-the-scenes, look at the topics we're covering in print and online. From notes on what's up in statehouses, county courthouses and city halls, to encounters with people, places and things, GOVERNING View is a window into the side of state and local government you don't always see.
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