Division 5. Offenses Against Public Safety and Morals
Codified through Bill No. CB-018-2026, adopted May 12, 2026, effective July 24, 2026. Source: Municode, Supplement 2026 Update 2. Editorial notes and legislative history omitted.
Division 5. Offenses Against Public Safety and Morals
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-133 (2026)
Sec. 14-133. False report of crime prohibited; penaltyLinkCopy Citation
(a)
No person shall make or cause to be made to any Sheriff's office or to any police department within the County, or to any officer or member thereof, a false of fictitious report of the commission of any criminal offense within the County, or false or fictitious report of any other matter or occurrence of which the Sheriff's office or police department is required to receive reports, or in connection with which the Sheriff's office or police department is required to conduct investigation, knowing such reports to be false or fictitious.
(b)
No person shall communicate or cause to be communicated to the Sheriff's Office or Police Department, or any officer or member thereof, any false information concerning the commission of any criminal offense within the County or concerning any other matter or occurrence of which the Sheriff's Office or Police Department is required to conduct investigation, knowing such information to be false, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) or by imprisonment not exceeding thirty (30) days.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-133.01 (2026)
Sec. 14-133.01. Defacing of public and private buildings and structures prohibited; penaltyLinkCopy Citation
No person shall willfully deface or cause to be defaced by disfiguring, cutting, chipping, writing, marking, or painting with any words, sign or figure, any church, synagogue, mosque, rectory, convent, monastery, or other permanent or temporary place of worship, or any public or private building or structure within Prince George's County without the express consent of the owner of such property, or in the case of public property of the person having charge, custody, or control thereof. Any person or persons who violate(s) the provisions of this Section shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall suffer punishment by imprisonment in the County jail for a period not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days or shall be fined an amount not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or shall suffer both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-133.02 (2026)
Sec. 14-133.02. Wearing of MasksLinkCopy Citation
(a)
No person or persons over 16 years of age shall, while wearing any mask, hood, or device whereby any portion of the face is hidden, concealed, or covered as to conceal the identity of the wearer:
(1)
Enter upon, be, or appear upon any lane, walk, alley, street, road, highway, or other public way in Prince George's County;
(2)
Enter upon, be, or appear upon or within the public property of Prince George's County; or
(3)
Hold any manner of meeting or demonstration.
(b)
The provisions of Subsection (a) apply only if the person was wearing the hood, mask, or other device:
(1)
With the intent to deprive any person or class of persons of equal protection of the law or of equal privileges and immunities under the law, or for the purpose of preventing or hindering the constituted authorities of the United States, the State of Maryland, or Prince George's County from giving or securing for all persons within Prince George's County equal protection of the law;
(2)
With the intent, by force or threat of force, to injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person because of his exercise of any right secured by federal, state, or local laws, or to intimidate any person or any class of persons from exercising any right secured by federal, state, or local laws;
(3)
With the intent to intimidate, threaten, abuse, or harass any other person;
(4)
With the intent to cause another person to fear for his or her personal safety, or, where it is probably that a reasonable person would be put in fear for his or her personal safety by the wearer's actions, with reckless disregard for that probability; or
(5)
While engaged in conduct prohibited by statute or criminal law, with the intent of avoiding identification.
(c)
Any person or persons who violate(s) the provisions of this Section shall, upon conviction, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and shall suffer punishment by imprisonment in the County jail for a period not to exceed one hundred and eighty (180) days or shall be fined an amount not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or shall suffer both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-134 (2026)
Sec. 14-134. Discarded appliancesLinkCopy Citation
No person shall discard or abandon any refrigerator, icebox, deep freezer, stove, kitchen range, clothes hamper, or other appliance containing a compartment, equipped with a locking device or mechanism, unless such compartment has been rendered incapable of being locked either by removal of the door of such compartment, or by removal of the locking device or mechanism.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-135 (2026)
Sec. 14-135. Outdoor appliance storageLinkCopy Citation
In the event any refrigerator, icebox, deep freeze, stove, kitchen range, clothes hamper, or other appliance containing a compartment, equipped with a locking device or mechanism, shall be stored outdoors, such compartment shall be securely fastened in such manner that the compartment cannot be opened.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-136 (2026)
Sec. 14-136. Consumption and possession of alcoholic beverages in publicLinkCopy Citation
(a)
Pursuant to the authority of Sections 19-103 and 19-204, Article 2B, Annotated Code of Maryland, the County adopts this Section to govern the consumption and possession of alcoholic beverages on public property and areas generally used by the public.
(b)
The definition of "public property" includes any building, ground, park, street, highway, alley, sidewalk, station, terminal, or other structure, road, or parking area located on land owned, leased, or operated by the state, county, municipality, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, or Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
(c)
It shall be unlawful for any person to drink any alcoholic beverage, as defined in Article 2B of the Annotated Code of Maryland, and to possess any alcoholic beverage in an open container while:
(1)
On public property unless authorized by a governmental entity that has jurisdiction over the property;
(2)
On the mall, adjacent parking area, or other outside area or any combination of privately owned retail establishments, like a shopping center, where the general public is invited for business purposes, unless authorized by the owner of the shopping center;
(3)
On an adjacent parking area or other outside area of any other retail establishment, unless authorized by the owner of the establishment; or
(4)
In any vehicle located on any of the places enumerated in this Section, unless authorized pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), or (3).
(d)
The head of any governmental entity, agency, or department, including a municipality, having management or control over the property, may permit the drinking of alcoholic beverages and the possession of such beverages in open containers on public property where there is a determination that the occasion is one in which drinking is customarily permitted, and the use of alcoholic beverages will not be offensive to the public.
(e)
This Section does not apply to the consumption of alcoholic beverages or the possession of alcoholic beverages in open containers by passengers in any vehicle equipped with a toilet if the owner or operator has consented to the consumption of the beverages.
(f)
Any person who violates the provisions of this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to:
(1)
For the first offense, a fine not exceeding $100;
(2)
For a second offense, a fine not exceeding $250, a referral to twenty (20) hours of alcohol abuse treatment, or forty (40) hours of community service, or any combination thereof;
(3)
For a third offense, a fine not exceeding $500, a referral to forty (40) hours of alcohol abuse treatment, or eighty (80) hours of community service, or any combination thereof; and
(4)
For a fourth offense or any subsequent offenses, a fine not exceeding $1,000, a referral to sixty (60) hours of alcohol abuse treatment, or one hundred (100) hours of community service, or any combination thereof.
(g)
Any community service sentence imposed in accordance with Subsection (f) may be performed within a ten (10) mile radius of the site of the commission of the offense. Failure to complete community service hours within one (1) year of imposition of such a sentence, shall result in imprisonment not to exceed one (1) hour for every one (1) hour of uncompleted community service.
(h)
The Police Department shall maintain a list of all violations of this Section and provide a report upon request to the County Council that includes but is not limited to the total number of citations issued annually, the total number of convictions based on those citations, the total number of repeat offenders, and the zip codes of the locations where the violations are occurring in the County.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-136.01 (2026)
Sec. 14-136.01. Urinating or Defecating in PublicLinkCopy Citation
(a)
It shall be unlawful for any person to urinate or defecate in public, unless there is a place specifically designated for that purpose, or in any other place where the person may be seen from a public thoroughfare or public property.
(b)
Any person who violates any provision of this Section shall, upon citation issued pursuant to Division 3, of Subtitle 28 of this Code, be deemed to have committed a civil violation and shall pay to the County a civil monetary fine in the amount of Fifty Dollars ($50.00).
Prince George's County, Md., Code §§ 14-137–14-139 (2026)
Sec. 14-137 through 14-139. ReservedLinkCopy Citation
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-139.01 (2026)
Sec. 14-139.01. Block Parent ProgramLinkCopy Citation
(a)
No person shall have in his possession or display upon or within any dwelling or structure any sign or facsimile thereof which contains the words "Block Parent" or utilizes the Block Parent seeing eye logo or any other similar design or combination of words unless such person is a participant in the Police Department Block Parent Program or is a manufacturer or supplier of such signs authorized by the Chief of Police.
(b)
The Chief of Police is authorized to promulgate regulations to implement the Block Parent Program.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-139.02 (2026)
Sec. 14-139.02. Public IndecencyLinkCopy Citation
(a)
For the purposes of this Section, the term "nudity" shall mean the showing of the human male or female genitals or pubic area, with less than a fully opaque covering.
(b)
It is unlawful for any person to knowingly or intentionally, in a public place or a place open to the public:
(1)
Engage in sexual intercourse;
(2)
Appear in a state of nudity; or
(3)
Fondle one's own genitals or those of another person.
(c)
Except as otherwise provided in Subtitle 5, Division 26 Adult Entertainment Clubs, it is unlawful for any person to dance or otherwise perform in a state of nudity in a place open to the public, within six (6) feet of any patron, to intentionally touch any patron, or to permit any patron to touch the person in a state of nudity.
(d)
Any person who violates any provision of this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) or by imprisonment not exceeding six (6) months, or both.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-139.03 (2026)
Sec. 14-139.03. LoiteringLinkCopy Citation
(a)
In this Section, "loiter" means for a person to:
(1)
Remain on a public street, sidewalk, or pathway, including one privately-owned but used by the public in general, so as to obstruct the free passage of a pedestrian or vehicle after a regular or special police officer has notified the person that the action is unlawful and has requested the person to move;
(2)
Remain in or on a vehicle on a public street, sidewalk, or pathway, including one privately-owned but used by the public in general, so as to obstruct the free passage of a pedestrian or vehicle after a regular or special police officer has notified the person that the action is unlawful and has requested the person to move;
(3)
Refuse or fail to leave a private business, commercial establishment, or parking lot that is posted with conspicuous "No Loitering" signs if the business or establishment is not open for business, and the person has been requested to leave by the owner, the owner's agent, or a regular or special police officer, unless the person:
(A)
Has written permission from the owner, lessee, or operator to be present; or
(B)
Is window-shopping under conditions and at a time of the day or night that would be considered conducive to that activity;
(4)
Refuse or fail to leave a private business or commercial establishment that is open for business, or a parking lot of the business or establishment, after having been requested to do so by the owner or the owner's agent;
(5)
Refuse or fail to leave a public building, public grounds, or a public recreational area, or a parking lot of a public building, public grounds, or a public recreational area, after being requested to do so by a regular or special police officer or by a regularly employed guard, watchman, or other authorized employee of the agency or institution responsible for the public building, public grounds, recreational area, or parking lot if the circumstances indicate that the person has no apparent lawful business or purpose to pursue at that place;
(6)
Return, for no apparent lawful business or purpose, to the same public or private property from which the person was asked to leave and not return for 30 days.
(b)
This Section does not prohibit picketing or orderly demonstration by labor unions or members of the public.
(c)
A person who loiters is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, is subject to:
(1)
For the first written offense, a written warning requesting an individual to move; and
(2)
For a second written offense, a fine not exceeding $500.00 or imprisonment not exceeding 30 days, or both; and
(3)
For a third written offense and subsequent written offenses, a fine not exceeding $1,000.00 or imprisonment not exceeding 30 days, or both.
(d)
No person shall be charged with a violation of this Section unless and until the arresting officer has first warned the person of the violation and the person has failed or refused to stop the violation.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-139.04 (2026)
Sec. 14-139.04. Animals in public buildingsLinkCopy Citation
(a)
In this Section the term "public building" means any building and its associated grounds and parking area located on land owned, leased, or operated by the County and authorities created by the County, excluding public housing sites.
(b)
A person may not bring or maintain an animal, as defined in Subtitle 3 of this Code, in a public building unless the animal is securely contained within an enclosure designed for the transportation of such animals.
(c)
The head of any County agency or department having management or control over a public building may permit animals on a lead and under the control of a person physically able of restraining the animal in a public building if the public official has determined that the presence of an animal is appropriate for educational or recognition purposes and that the presence of the animal will not be offensive to the occupants of the public building and the general public.
(d)
This Section does not apply to animals trained to assist persons with disabilities when in the company of such persons.
(e)
This Section shall not apply to animals trained to perform or assist in public safety and/or emergency rescue operations while employed in this capacity, including rescue, criminal search and seizure, arson, and bomb and drug sniffing.
(f)
Any person who violates the provisions of this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not exceeding One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 14-139.05 (2026)
Sec. 14-139.05. Prostitution free zonesLinkCopy Citation
(a)
For purposes of this Section, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
(1)
Chief of Police means the Chief of the Prince George's County Police Department.
(2)
Disperse means to depart from the designated prostitution free zone and not to reassemble within the prostitution free zone with anyone from the group ordered to depart for the duration of the zone.
(3)
Known participant in prostitution or prostitution-related offenses means a person who has been convicted in any court in any jurisdiction of any violation involving prostitution or prostitution-related offenses.
(4)
Police Department means the Prince George's County Police Department.
(5)
Prostitution means the performance of a sexual act, sexual contact, or vaginal intercourse for hire pursuant to the Annotated Code of Maryland, Criminal Law Article, Section 11-301.
(6)
Prostitution free zone means public space or public property in an area not to exceed a square of one thousand (1,000) feet on each side that is established pursuant to subsections (b) and (c).
(7)
Prostitution-related offenses means those crimes and offenses defined pursuant to the Annotated Code of Maryland, Criminal Law Article, Sections 11-303 to 11-306.
(b)
The Chief of Police may declare any public area a prostitution free zone for a period not to exceed four hundred eighty (480) consecutive hours. The Chief of Police shall inform his commanders, the County Executive, and the Council of the declaration of a prostitution free zone.
(c)
In determining whether to designate a prostitution free zone, the Chief of Police shall find the following:
(1)
The occurrence of disproportionately high arrests for prostitution or prostitution-related offenses, and calls for police service because of prostitution or prostitution-related offenses in the proposed prostitution free zone within the preceding six (6) month period;
(2)
Objective evidence or verifiable information that shows that a disproportionately high incidence of prostitution or prostitution-related offenses are occurring on public space or public property within the proposed prostitution free zone; and
(3)
Any other verifiable information from which the Chief of Police may ascertain whether the public health or safety is endangered by prostitution or prostitution-related offenses in the proposed prostitution free zone.
(d)
Upon the designation of a prostitution free zone, the Police Department shall mark each block within the prostitution free zone by using barriers, tape, signs, or police officers that post or announce the following information in the immediate area of, and borders around, the prostitution free zone:
(1)
A statement that it is unlawful for a person to congregate in a group of two (2) or more persons for the purposes of prostitution or prostitution-related offenses within the boundaries of a prostitution free zone, and to fail to disperse after being instructed to disperse by a uniformed officer of the Police Department, or a non-uniformed officer of the Police Department upon display of Police Department identification, who reasonably believes the person is congregating for the purpose of engaging in prostitution or prostitution-related offenses;
(2)
The boundaries of the prostitution free zone;
(3)
A statement of the effective dates of the prostitution free zone designation; and
(4)
Any other additional information the Chief of Police provides.
(e)
It shall be unlawful for a person to congregate in a group of two (2) or more persons on public space or public property within the perimeter of a prostitution free zone established pursuant to Subsections (b) and (c) and thereafter to fail to disperse after being instructed to disperse by a uniformed officer of the Police Department, or a non-uniformed officer of the Police Department upon display of Police Department identification, who reasonably believes the person is congregating for the purpose of engaging in prostitution or prostitution-related offenses.
(f)
In making a determination that a person is congregating in a prostitution free zone for the purpose of engaging in prostitution or prostitution-related offenses, the totality of the circumstances involved shall be considered. Among the circumstances which may be considered in determining whether such purpose is manifested are:
(1)
The conduct of a person being observed, including that such person is behaving in a manner raising a reasonable belief that the person is engaging or is about to engage in prostitution or prostitution-related offenses, such as:
(A)
Repeatedly beckoning to, stopping, attempting to stop, or attempting to engage passers-by in conversation for the purpose of prostitution;
(B)
Stopping or attempting to stop motor vehicles for the purpose of prostitution; or
(C)
Repeatedly interfering with the free passage of other persons for the purpose of prostitution;
(2)
Information from a reliable source indicating that a person being observed routinely engages in or is currently engaging in prostitution or prostitution-related offenses within the prostitution free zone;
(3)
Physical identification by an officer of the person as a member of a gang or association which engages in prostitution or prostitution-related offenses;
(4)
Knowledge by an officer that the person is a known participant in prostitution or prostitution-related offenses; and
(5)
Knowledge by an officer that any vehicle involved in the observed circumstances is registered to a known participant in prostitution or prostitution-related offenses, or a person for whom there is an outstanding arrest warrant for a crime involving prostitution or prostitution-related offenses.
(g)
Any person who violates this Section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, is subject to a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) or imprisonment not exceeding six (6) months, or both.