Maryland County Police Accountability Boards
PABs
Summary
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Each Maryland county must establish a Police Accountability Board (Pub. Safety §3-102). Active police officers are barred from membership; the local governing body appoints all members and the chair. PABs receive public misconduct complaints, forward them to the agency within 3 days, appoint civilian members to Administrative Charging Committees and Trial Boards, hold quarterly meetings with law enforcement, review disciplinary outcomes, and submit annual reports. PABs do not independently investigate; discipline flows through charging committees and trial boards.
Independence Scorecard
| Appointment | Executive appointment |
|---|---|
| Term length | Not specified |
| Removal standard | At will (weak protection) |
| Budget independence | Executive discretion |
| Subpoena power | No |
| Compel testimony | No |
| Records access | Restricted |
| Public reports required | Yes |
| Pre-publication review | None — reports published directly |
Statute
- Name
- Maryland Police Accountability Act of 2021
- Citation
- Md. Code, Public Safety § 3-102
- Full text
- Full text of law →
Jurisdiction scope
County and municipal law enforcement agencies in each Maryland county