Vetoed by Governor Larry Hogan, Jr.

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that requires police officers to wear body cameras.

Highlights:

• Defines “employee assistance program” as a work-based program offered to all police officers that provide access to voluntary and confidential services to address the mental health issues of a police officer stemming from personal and work-related concerns, including stress, financial issues, legal issues, family problems, office conflicts, and alcohol and substance abuse disorders (Sec. 3–523-2).

• Requires a law enforcement agency to mandate the use of body-worn cameras by each law enforcement officer employed by the law enforcement agency who regularly interacts with members of the public as part of the law enforcement officer’s official duties (Sec. 3–511.C.II).

• Requires each law enforcement agency to establish a confidential and nonpunitive early intervention system to identify police officers who are at risk of engaging in the use of excessive force and to provide the officers with training, behavioral interventions, reassignments, or other appropriate responses to reduce the risk of the use of excessive force (Sec. 3–516.a).

• Requires the employee assistance program to provide police officers access to confidential mental health services, including (Sec. 3–523.C):

• Counseling services;

• Crisis counseling;

• Stress management counseling;

• Resiliency sessions; and

• Peer support services for police officers.

• Establishes, as part of the assistance program, that before a police officer returns to full duty, a law enforcement agency will provide (Sec. 3–523.D-1):

• A voluntary mental health consultation and voluntary counseling services to the police officer if the police officer is involved in an incident involving an accident resulting in a fatality; and

• A mandatory mental health consultation and voluntary counseling services to the police officer if the police officer is involved in an incident involving:

• A serious injury to the police officer;

• An officer-involved shooting; or

• Any use of force resulting in a fatality or serious injury.

• Requires a police supervisor to (Sec. 3–524.F):

• Respond to the scene of any incident during which a police officer used physical force and caused serious physical injury; and

• Gather and review all known video recordings of a use of force incident.

• Requires a law enforcement agency to have the following (sec. 3–524.G):

• A written de-escalation of force policy; and

• A written policy requiring supervisory and command-level review of all use of force incidents.

• Requires the Statewide Body–Camera Implementation Task Force to do the following (Sec. 1):

• Study options for the economical storage of audio and video recordings made by law enforcement body-worn cameras;

• Make recommendations for storage considering the budgets of state, county, local, and campus law enforcement jurisdictions;

• Study and make findings on the implementation and feasibility of requiring the use of body-worn cameras by police officers in counties and municipalities throughout the state; and

• Make recommendations regarding requiring the use of body-worn cameras by counties and municipalities based on its findings.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that requires police officers to wear body cameras.

Highlights:

• Defines “employee assistance program” as a work-based program offered to all police officers that provide access to voluntary and confidential services to address the mental health issues of a police officer stemming from personal and work-related concerns, including stress, financial issues, legal issues, family problems, office conflicts, and alcohol and substance abuse disorders (Sec. 3–523-2).

• Requires a law enforcement agency to mandate the use of body-worn cameras by each law enforcement officer employed by the law enforcement agency who regularly interacts with members of the public as part of the law enforcement officer’s official duties (Sec. 3–511.C.II).

• Requires each law enforcement agency to establish a confidential and nonpunitive early intervention system to identify police officers who are at risk of engaging in the use of excessive force and to provide the officers with training, behavioral interventions, reassignments, or other appropriate responses to reduce the risk of the use of excessive force (Sec. 3–516.a).

• Requires the employee assistance program to provide police officers access to confidential mental health services, including (Sec. 3–523.C):

• Counseling services;

• Crisis counseling;

• Stress management counseling;

• Resiliency sessions; and

• Peer support services for police officers.

• Establishes, as part of the assistance program, that before a police officer returns to full duty, a law enforcement agency will provide (Sec. 3–523.D-1):

• A voluntary mental health consultation and voluntary counseling services to the police officer if the police officer is involved in an incident involving an accident resulting in a fatality; and

• A mandatory mental health consultation and voluntary counseling services to the police officer if the police officer is involved in an incident involving:

• A serious injury to the police officer;

• An officer-involved shooting; or

• Any use of force resulting in a fatality or serious injury.

• Requires a police supervisor to (Sec. 3–524.F):

• Respond to the scene of any incident during which a police officer used physical force and caused serious physical injury; and

• Gather and review all known video recordings of a use of force incident.

• Requires a law enforcement agency to have the following (sec. 3–524.G):

• A written de-escalation of force policy; and

• A written policy requiring supervisory and command-level review of all use of force incidents.

• Requires the Statewide Body–Camera Implementation Task Force to do the following (Sec. 1):

• Study options for the economical storage of audio and video recordings made by law enforcement body-worn cameras;

• Make recommendations for storage considering the budgets of state, county, local, and campus law enforcement jurisdictions;

• Study and make findings on the implementation and feasibility of requiring the use of body-worn cameras by police officers in counties and municipalities throughout the state; and

• Make recommendations regarding requiring the use of body-worn cameras by counties and municipalities based on its findings.

Full Bill Text