Eleven nominated to join Johns Hopkins University Police Accountability Board

The university issued a call for applications in October to fill 11 vacancies for Johns Hopkins students, faculty, and staff members on the Johns Hopkins University Police Accountability Board, with new members set to begin serving on June 1. Applications for the 2025-26 accountability board term were open from Oct. 1–24, 2024. At the close of the application period, 56 applications were received.

An eight-member nominating committee led by non-voting chair Kevin Shollenberger , vice provost for student health and well-being, reviewed and evaluated all applications, which were anonymized, and make recommendations to university leadership. The committee is made up of Baltimore City community members, students, faculty, and staff. One of the student members currently serves on the Student Advisory Committee for Public Safety, and the faculty, staff, and community members have all been active and engaged with public safety issues.

Per the Community Safety and Strengthening Act, JHU established the accountability board before standing up the police department. Unique both in Maryland and throughout the country, the accountability board empowers community members from JHU and its surrounding neighborhoods to help inform the development and operation of the Johns Hopkins Police Department (JHPD). Under the law, accountability board members are responsible for sharing community concerns directly with department leadership, reviewing police department metrics, and assessing current and prospective department policies, procedures, and training to provide recommendations for improvement.

The 15-seat board must consist of five community members unaffiliated with the university, including at least one community representative from each of the three areas in Baltimore where the JHPD may patrol, and 10 JHU students, faculty, and staff, including at least one member of the JHU Black Faculty and Staff Association. The Baltimore City mayor and City Council president each appoint one community member to the board, which leaves 13 seats to be selected by JHU leadership. Faculty and staff members and community members appointed by the university and confirmed by the Maryland State Senate serve for two-year terms; student members serve one-year terms.

The following nominees will be sent to the Maryland State Senate for confirmation during the 2025 legislative session of the General Assembly:

Community members

• Sonja Merchant-Jones (Current member) – Homewood (District 43 A)
• Edward Kangethe (Current member) – East Baltimore (District 45)
• Sabrina Harris – Peabody (District 46)

Faculty nominees

• Elizabeth Hazel (Current member) – Institute for International Programs, Bloomberg School of Public Health, East Baltimore
• Daniel Webster – Health Policy and Management, Bloomberg School of Public Health (primary) and School of Education (joint), East Baltimore

Staff nominees

• Natasha OrtizFortier – Sr. Program Associate, Centers for Gov. Excellence & Public Innovation, Homewood

Student nominees

• Isabelle John – Homewood/Undergraduate, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Samana Kondle – East Baltimore/Graduate, Bloomberg School of Public Health
• Jonathan Aguilar – Homewood/Undergraduate, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences
• Yuli Wang – East Baltimore/Graduate Student, School of Medicine, Biomedical Engineering

"The nominating committee's work is critically important as the work of the JH Accountability Board is critical to the development and implementation of the JHPD," Shollenberger said. "I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to each member of the nominating committee for their thoughtful review and evaluation of each application to the JH Accountability Board."

The current accountability board met 17 times in 2024, including its new member orientation on June 14 and annual public meeting on Nov. 20, as well as committee meetings, planning sessions, and a conversation with JHU President Ron Daniels.

Branville Bard, Johns Hopkins' vice president for public safety and chief of police, shared his gratitude for the work of the accountability board as well, stating, "The JH Accountability Board's work is invaluable in that it helps to ensure that the JHPD is a forward-thinking, progressive, and transparent police department that truly serves the best interests of and protects our community."

The accountability board must meet at least quarterly and hold at least one public meeting each year to seek input on JHPD policies, procedures, and training from community members of Baltimore City.

More information about the accountability board can be found on the Public Safety website, which includes a form for comments and questions.