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Police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in Maryland
| Police hiring, training, and discipline |
|---|
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| • Police collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) • Ballotpedia CBA dashboard •Reform proposals •CBA areas of inquiry and disagreement •Arguments about police collective bargaining • Index of articles about criminal justice policy |
| Click here for more analysis of police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements by state and city on Ballotpedia |
This page provides an overview of policies related to the hiring, training, and discipline of police officers in Maryland. It is part of an analysis of police union collective bargaining agreements and related arrangements with police unions concerning hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in the 50 states and top 100 cities by population.
Background
Ballotpedia in 2023 examined the collective bargaining agreements, statutes, and regulatory codes governing the 50 states and the top 100 US cities by population through the lens of a series of research questions related to police hiring, training, and discipline.
Some of the hiring, training, and discipline standards for police officers not established by statutes or regulations arise from negotiations with police unions. Those negotiations are often codified in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Those agreements are the contracts that states and cities sign following negotiations with police unions. Some states and cities restrict collective bargaining, but may still negotiate with police unions using other methods. After negotiating with the unions, those jurisdictions sometimes establish police standards through documents including memoranda of understanding or meet and confer agreements.
Results
The tables below link to each question Ballotpedia used to analyze the states and cities and indicate how Maryland handles police hiring, training, and discipline. To see the provisions Ballotpedia used to support these results, click here.
CBA basics
| CBA basics | Results |
|---|---|
| Is the current CBA publicly available online? | YES |
| Is there a CBA with the police union? | YES |
Discipline and accountability
| Discipline and accountability | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA forbid the transfer or reassignment of an officer as a form of discipline? | NO |
| Do officers have a right to request third-party arbitration for grievances, including over disciplinary actions? | NO |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to discipline for misconduct? | YES |
Primary discipline authority: N/A; Types: Termination, suspension without pay; Restricted aspects: N/A; Challenge/appeal process: N/A.Disciplinary appeals or grievances are not subject to the grievance procedure. Article X Section 2 mentions a disciplinary procedure involving suspension without pay or termination, but in relationship to backpay in the event of disposal of charges. | |
| Does the CBA explicitly allow for a state ombudsman outside particular police departments to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct? | NO |
Legal limitations or provisions
Training and counseling
Community relations and oversight
| Community relations and oversight | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA reference citizen review boards? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions related to community policing? | NO |
Investigations
| Investigations | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to misconduct investigations? | NO |
| Does the CBA require notice to officers of investigations? | NO |
Conditions: N/A; Timeline: 15 days to discuss with employee, union representative, and immediate supervisor; Content: N/A; | |
| Does the CBA determine a timeline for investigations? | NO |
Timeline to launch: 15 days to discuss with employee, union representative, and immediate supervisor; Timeline to conclude: N/A | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to compensation during misconduct investigations? | YES |
The state agrees to reimburse any bargaining unit member who is charged with a felony and suspended without pay in the event the felony criminal charges are disposed of by a court with a finding of not guilty or where the prosecutor declines to further pursue all of the felony charges by way of a nolle proseque. | |
Evidence and records
| Evidence and records | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA have provisions related to the use of body-worn cameras or body-worn camera video evidence? | NO |
| Does the CBA regulate processes for retaining officer disciplinary records? | YES |
Record storage: N/A; Storage authority: "Only one official personnel file shall be kept for each employee at the appropriate personnel office. The Employer may also maintain employee files in the Internal Affairs Unit, the Motor Vehicle Division and the Professional Policing Division." Types of records: Derogatory material; Timeline: N/A; Access and use: Employees have access to their personnel file; Use in decisions: N/A | |
Qualifications and evaluation
| Qualifications and evaluation | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA require performance evaluations? | NO |
| Does the CBA restrict licensing procedures for law enforcement officers or departments? | NO |
Union authority
| Union authority | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA limit union authority to pay and benefits issues? | NO |
| Does the CBA give the union the power to approve or disapprove new training programs for law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions involving the union in the process for promotions, unit assignments, and transfers? | YES |
Union informed of promotions/transfers by the state | |
See also
Footnotes
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