# Education (GED)

## Title 24. Miscellaneous Education Agencies

### Subtitle 12. Police Department of the Johns Hopkins University

#### Section 24-1201

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.

(b) "Accountability Board" means the University Police Accountability Board.

(c)

  (1) "Campus area" means any property that is:

    (i) Owned, leased, operated by, or under the control of the University;

    (ii) Located on:

      (1) The Homewood campus, meaning the area bounded by West University Parkway and East University Parkway on the north, East 28th Street and West 28th Street on the south, Remington Avenue and Stony Run stream on the west, and North Calvert Street on the east;

      (2) The East Baltimore campus, meaning the area bounded by East Eager Street on the north, East Baltimore Street on the south, North Caroline Street on the west, and North Castle Street on the east; or

      (3) The Peabody campus, meaning the area bounded by West Madison Street and East Madison Street on the north, East Hamilton Street and West Hamilton Street on the south, Cathedral Street on the west, and Saint Paul Street on the east; and

    (iii) Used for educational or institutional purposes.

  (2) "Campus area" includes the public property that is immediately adjacent to the campus, including:

    (i) A sidewalk, a street, or any other thoroughfare; and

    (ii) A parking facility.

(d) "Memorandum of understanding" means an agreement between the Johns Hopkins University and the Baltimore Police Department regarding matters related to police jurisdiction and operations.

(e) "Police department" means a University police department established under this subtitle.

(f) "University" means the Johns Hopkins University.

(g) "University police officer" means a police officer of a police department established under this subtitle.

#### Section 24-1202

(a) Subject to the requirements of this subtitle, the Johns Hopkins University may establish a police department based on a memorandum of understanding.

(b) The memorandum of understanding shall require that the Baltimore Police Department:

  (1) Have primary responsibility for all investigations and arrests related to Part I offenses specified under the Uniform Crime Reporting Program, except:

    (i) Theft;

    (ii) Burglary; and

    (iii) Motor vehicle taking;

  (2) Maintain any evidence collected from crime scenes at the Evidence Control Unit of the Baltimore Police Department, in accordance with Baltimore Police Department governing procedures and regulations; and

  (3) Impound any stolen vehicles in accordance with Baltimore Police Department governing procedures and regulations.

(c)

  (1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, a University police officer has the powers granted to a peace and police officer.

  (2)

    (i) A University police officer may exercise these powers only:

      (1) On the University's campus area; and

      (2) Subject to subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, within areas adjacent to the campus area, as specified in the executed memorandum of understanding developed with input from the relevant community.

    (ii) A University police officer may exercise these powers within areas adjacent to the campus area only if:

      (1) The University receives a majority of support from the members of the relevant campus-adjacent communities for the police department to operate in their communities; and

      (2) The Baltimore City Council approves a resolution affirming that the University has received the support required under item 1 of this subparagraph of the campus-adjacent community areas in which the police department is authorized to operate.

    (iii) A University police officer may not exercise these powers on any other property unless:

      (1) Engaged in fresh pursuit of a suspected offender;

      (2) Necessary to facilitate the orderly flow of traffic to and from a campus area;

      (3) Specially requested or authorized to exercise the powers in Baltimore City by the Mayor of Baltimore City if:

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

      (B) The Mayor issues an order declaring an emergency that specifies the manner in which the police officer's powers will be exercised; or

      (4) Ordered to exercise the powers by the Governor under a declared state of emergency.

#### Section 24-1203

(a) If the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, the University shall:

  (1) Adopt standards, qualifications, and prerequisites for hiring and training University police officers that comply with the regulations of the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission;

  (2) Adopt standards for character, education, human relations, public relations, and experience for University police officers;

  (3) Ensure constitutional and community-oriented policing through the adoption of policies, practices, and training that:

    (i) Promote recruiting and hiring diverse candidates, using local hiring and residency initiatives;

    (ii) Advance impartial and nondiscriminatory policing to promote disability and diversity awareness and prevent profiling and implicit bias against racial, ethnic, sexual, religious, and other minorities;

    (iii) Promote appropriate interactions with individuals who:

      (1) Are under the age of 18;

      (2) Have behavioral health or other disabilities; or

      (3) Are in crisis;

    (iv) Ensure appropriate use of force, including:

      (1) The use of alternatives to force;

      (2) The use of de-escalation techniques; and

      (3) For any officer who carries a firearm, the use of nonlethal or less-lethal weapons;

    (v) Guarantee the adoption and use of appropriate and effective technology;

    (vi) Ensure safe and humane treatment of individuals in custody;

    (vii) Support the lawful exercise of rights of free expression, particularly in the context of a university community;

    (viii) Build trust between victims of sexual assault and the police department and other University officials, consistent with University policy and federal and State law;

    (ix) Promote community engagement, including:

      (1) Reporting community engagement plans each year to the Accountability Board established under Sec. 24-1205 of this subtitle; and

      (2) Establishing a process to consider community or University requests for additional jurisdiction for the police department;

    (x) Establish a process to:

      (1) Allow any person, including members of the police department, to file complaints against University police officers; and

      (2) Ensure timely investigation of all complaints regarding the police department and its employees;

    (xi) Require training for University police officers regarding searches, including consensual searches; and

    (xii) Require that a University police officer be certified by the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission;

  (4) Subject to subsection (b) of this section, within 5 years after the execution of a memorandum of understanding under Sec. 24-1202 of this subtitle, maintain a police department in which at least 25% of the police department's workforce are residents of Baltimore City;

  (5) Require University police officers to wear and use body-worn cameras in accordance with:

    (i) Procedures adopted by the University; and

    (ii) The body-worn camera policy established by the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission under Sec. 3-511 of the Public Safety Article;

  (6) Employ not more than 100 employees within the police department; and

  (7) Seek accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators, or a similar organization.

(b) Subsection (a)(4) of this section may not be construed to require the University to hire an officer who:

  (1) Does not meet the police officer certification requirements of the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission specified under Sec. 3-209 of the Public Safety Article; or

  (2) Fails an assessment that evaluates an applicant based on the standards adopted under subsection (a)(2) of this section.

(c) If the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, the University shall host or participate in at least four job events in each calendar year, located in different sites in Baltimore City, representative of the Baltimore City community, at which individuals are interviewed for positions in the police department workforce.

(d)

  (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, if the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, the police department may not acquire any military grade vehicle or military grade hardware, including:

    (i) An armored or weaponized:

      (1) Aircraft;

      (2) Drone; or

      (3) Vehicle; or

    (ii) A weapon designated as a Title II weapon under the National Firearms Act.

  (2) If any of the items specified under paragraph (1) of this subsection are available for commercial sale in the State, the University, at its own expense, may purchase the items for the police department.

  (3) The police department may not accept any of the items specified under paragraph (1) of this subsection from a program operated by the federal government for the transfer of surplus military equipment to a law enforcement agency.

(e) If the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, the police department shall acknowledge and respond to any recommendations of the University Police Accountability Board within 120 days after receiving the recommendations.

#### Section 24-1204

If the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, the University shall continue to make use of University security personnel or building guards in addition to the police department.

#### Section 24-1205

(a) If the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, the University shall establish a University Police Accountability Board.

(b) The purpose of the Accountability Board is to:

  (1) Enable community members to share community concerns regarding the police department directly with police department leadership;

  (2) Review police department metrics;

  (3) Provide feedback on existing police department policies and practices, including police department standards for hiring and recruitment; and

  (4) Suggest ideas for improving police department policies, procedures, and performance, including ideas for community-based public safety initiatives.

(c)

  (1) The Accountability Board shall be composed of 15 individuals, including:

    (i) Students, faculty, and staff of the University;

    (ii) Members of the Baltimore City community from the neighborhoods adjacent to the campus area; and

    (iii) A member of the Johns Hopkins University Black Faculty and Staff Association.

  (2) The Accountability Board shall include at least one community representative who is unaffiliated with the University from each of the following neighborhoods:

    (i) The neighborhood adjacent to the University's Homewood campus;

    (ii) The neighborhood adjacent to the University's East Baltimore campus; and

    (iii) The neighborhood adjacent to the University's Peabody campus.

  (3) Except as provided in paragraph (4) of this subsection, University leadership shall appoint the individuals to the Accountability Board with the advice and consent of the Senate.

  (4)

    (i) The Mayor of Baltimore City and the Baltimore City Council President each shall appoint an individual to the Accountability Board.

    (ii) University leadership, in consultation with the Baltimore City Council, shall appoint the community representatives specified under paragraph (2) of this subsection with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(d) The Accountability Board shall have the authority to:

  (1) Review police department metrics involving crime;

  (2) Review current and prospective police department policies, procedures, and training; and

  (3) Provide recommendations to the University on current and prospective police department policies, procedures, and training.

(e) The Accountability Board shall:

  (1) Meet at least quarterly;

  (2) Hold at least one public meeting each year to seek input on police department policies, procedures, and training from community members of Baltimore City; and

  (3) Post the minutes from each meeting in a prominent manner on a website available to the public.

#### Section 24-1206

If the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, the police department is subject to the jurisdiction of the Civilian Review Board of Baltimore City established under Sec. 16-42 of the Public Local Laws of Baltimore City.

#### Section 24-1207

If the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, the police department shall establish at least one Police Athletic/Activity League in Baltimore City through the National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues, Inc., at its own expense.

#### Section 24-1208

(a) If the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, on or before October 1 each year, the University shall report for the previous fiscal year:

  (1) The total number of University police officers employed by the University;

  (2) The following information relating to individuals who applied to join the University police department workforce:

    (i) The total number of individuals who applied, reported by county, state, and zip code of residence;

    (ii) The total number of individuals who were hired as members of the workforce, reported by county, state, and zip code of residence;

    (iii) The number of applicants, reported by county, state, and zip code of residence, who were disqualified during the application process for failing to meet the certification requirements of the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission;

    (iv) The number of applicants, reported by county, state, and zip code of residence, who were disqualified by failing an assessment that evaluates an applicant based on the standards adopted under Sec. 24-1203(a)(2) of this subtitle; and

    (v) The number of Baltimore City residents, reported by zip code of residence, who were hired as members of the workforce;

  (3) The following information, reported by county, state, and zip code of residence, for the Johns Hopkins University Campus Security workforce:

    (i) The number of applicants to the workforce; and

    (ii) The number of individuals hired to the workforce;

  (4) The amount of funds used to maintain the police department;

  (5) The total number of crimes that resulted in a University police officer arresting an individual;

  (6) The types of crimes that resulted in a University police officer arresting an individual;

  (7) The total number of traffic stops;

  (8)

    (i) The number, type, and disposition of complaints filed against University police officers; and

    (ii) The number and type of individuals who filed complaints, including whether the individual who filed the complaint was a student, a faculty member, a staff member, or an individual unaffiliated with the University;

  (9) A description of the complaint review process the University uses to review a complaint filed against a University police officer;

  (10) The number of officers disciplined, including the type of discipline administered;

  (11) The number of University police officer-involved shootings, line-of-duty deaths, and in-custody deaths;

  (12) A description of the number of community outreach events by the police department; and

  (13) A list of any surveillance technologies used by the police department.

(b) The information required under subsection (a) of this section shall be:

  (1) Disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, age, and, when applicable, officer rank; and

  (2) Reported in a manner, consistent with federal law, that protects the confidentiality of the individual who filed the complaint to the extent possible.

(c) The University shall report the information specified in subsection (a) of this section to:

  (1) The Mayor of Baltimore City;

  (2) The Baltimore City Council;

  (3) In accordance with Sec. 2-1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly; and

  (4) The Accountability Board.

(d) The University shall submit all incident reports to the Baltimore Police Department using the standard reporting policies and systems of the Baltimore Police Department.

#### Section 24-1209

Nothing in this subtitle shall be construed to affect the right of employees of the police department to form, join, support, or participate in a labor organization to engage in collective bargaining under applicable federal law.

#### Section 24-1210

(a) If the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, the police department shall allow a person or governmental unit to access information in the same manner as a person or governmental unit would be able to access a public record of a law enforcement agency under the Public Information Act if the information is:

  (1) Included in records that are:

    (i) Created solely for law enforcement purposes; or

    (ii) Related to an arrest for a criminal offense; and

  (2) Would be subject to disclosure under the Public Information Act if the information were in a record created by a law enforcement agency.

(b) This section may not be construed to make an independent institution of higher education, as defined in Sec. 10-101 of this article, subject to the Public Information Act.

#### Section 24-1211

(a) If the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, the University, the police department, and the officers, employees, and agents of the University or police department:

  (1) Are not entitled to immunity under Title 5, Subtitle 3 of the Courts Article (Local Government Tort Claims Act), Title 12, Subtitle 1 of the State Government Article (Maryland Tort Claims Act), or common law public official immunity; and

  (2) May not raise the defense of sovereign immunity.

(b) No action may be maintained against the State for the conduct or other acts of the University, the police department, or the officers, employees, or agents of the University or police department.

#### Section 24-1212

(a)

  (1) If the University establishes a police department under this subtitle, the Department of Legislative Services shall conduct a preliminary evaluation of the police department on or before December 15, 2027, in the same manner as a preliminary evaluation is conducted under the Maryland Program Evaluation Act.

  (2) If the Legislative Policy Committee does not determine that a full evaluation is needed, the Department of Legislative Services shall prepare legislation to extend the termination date under subsection (c) of this section and the evaluation date under paragraph (1) of this subsection.

(b) If the Legislative Policy Committee determines a full evaluation is necessary, the Department of Legislative Services shall, in the same manner as is required under the Maryland Program Evaluation Act:

  (1) Conduct a full evaluation in the same manner as a full evaluation; and

  (2) Issue a full report to the General Assembly recommending that this subtitle should be reestablished, with or without changes, or allowed to terminate.

(c) Subject to the evaluation and reestablishment provisions of this section, this subtitle and all policies and standards adopted under this subtitle shall terminate and be of no further effect after July 1, 2029.

#### Section 24-1213

(a) The University shall be solely responsible for the pension, retirement, and any other benefits afforded to the employees of the police department.

(b) The employees of the 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.

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Md. Code Ann., Educ. (as displayed at mgaleg.maryland.gov, October 16, 2026)