Md. panel on disabilities to brief O’Malley

DAVID DISHNEAU
Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — A state commission formed in response to the death in custody of a man with Down syndrome is preparing to meet with Gov. Martin O’Malley.

Chairman Timothy Shriver said Thursday in Baltimore that the panel will update the governor Wednesday on its progress toward law-enforcement training led partly by intellectually and developmentally disabled people. The training becomes mandatory for new officers statewide, starting next year.

Some panel members say so-called self-advocates also should also help train public-transit workers, medical professionals and educators. The commission may ask the state to fund training for self-advocates.

Shriver says this approach can help change attitudes that led to the asphyxiation death of Robert Ethan Saylor as three off-duty Frederick County sheriff’s deputies tried to forcibly remove him from a movie theater last year.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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