Signed by Governor Larry Hogan, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a university police department at Johns Hopkins University.

Highlights:

• Requires John Hopkins University to establish the following if the university establishes a police department, including (Sec. 2):

• The adoption of standards, qualifications, and prerequisites for hiring and training university police officers that comply with the regulations of the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission;

• The adoption of standards for character, education, human relations, public relations, and experience for university police officers; 

• The assurance of constitutional and community-oriented policing through the adoption of policies, practices, and training that:

• Promote recruiting and hiring diverse candidates, using local hiring and residency initiatives; 

• Advance impartial and non-discriminatory policing to promote disability and diversity awareness and prevent profiling and implicit bias against racial, ethnic, sexual, religious, and other minorities; and

• Promote appropriate interactions with individuals who are under the age of 18, have behavioral health or other disabilities, or are in crisis;

• Within 5 years after the execution of a memorandum of understanding, a police department in which at least 25 percent of the police department’s workforce are residents of Baltimore City;

• Requirements that mandate university police officers to wear and use body-worn cameras;

• No more than 100 employees within the police department; and 

• Accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, or a similar organization.

• Specifies that the Baltimore Police Department has primary responsibility for all investigations and arrests except for the following (Sec. 2):

• Theft;

• Burglary; and 

• Motor vehicle taking. 

• Authorizes a university police officer to exercise their power only on the university’s campus area and within areas adjacent to the campus area, as specified in the executed memorandum of understanding developed with input from the relevant adjacent community (Sec. 2).

• Defines “ memorandum of understanding” as an agreement between Johns Hopkins University and the Baltimore Police Department regarding matters related to police jurisdiction and operations (Sec. 2). 

• Prohibits a university police officer from exercising their powers on any other property excepting situations in which (Sec 2):

• The officer is engaged in fresh pursuit of a suspected offender;

• It is necessary to facilitate the orderly flow of traffic to and from a campus area;

• The officer is specially requested or authorized to exercise their powers by the Baltimore mayor; 

• There is a sudden and unforeseen emergency of such public gravity and urgency that it requires an immediate response to protect the public welfare; 

• The mayor issues an order declaring an emergency that specifies the manner in which the police officer’s powers will we exercised; or

• The officer is ordered to exercise the powers by the governor under a declared state of emergency.

• Requires that if the university establishes a police department, the police department and its officers, employees, and agents of the university police department (Sec. 2):

• Are not entitled to immunity under the Courts Article or common law public official immunity; and 

• May not raise the defense of sovereign immunity.

• Specifies that employees of the university police department are not entitled to state pension, state retirement, or any other benefits afforded to state personnel arising out of their employment with the police department (Sec. 2).

• Defines “campus area” as any property that is (Sec. 2):

• Owned, leased, operated by, or under the control of the university;

• Located on the Homewood campus, the East Baltimore campus, and the Peabody campus; and 

• Used for educational or instructional purposes by the university.

• Requires the university police department to acknowledge and respond to any recommendations of the University Police Accountability Board within 120 days after receiving their recommendations (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that “campus area” includes the public property that is immediately adjacent to the campus including a sidewalk, street, other thoroughfare, or a parking facility (Sec. 2)

• Specifies that the university police department is subject to the jurisdiction of the Civilian Review Board of Baltimore City established under the Public Local Laws of Baltimore City (Sec. 2).

• Specifies that the Accountability Board will be composed of 15 individuals, including (Sec. 2): 

• Students, faculty, and staff of the university;

• Members of the Baltimore City community from the neighborhoods adjacent to the campus area; and 

• A member of the Johns Hopkins University Black Faculty and Staff Association.

Full Bill Text