Participant Requirements. Participation in a mediation program is voluntary and shall be agreed upon by the complainant, law enforcement agency, and police officer identified in the complaint. A complainant or police officer who is the subject of a complaint of police misconduct has the right to decline mediation. If a police officer who is the subject of a complaint declines the offer to mediate the complaint, the decision to not participate may not be considered during any disciplinary proceeding. A party to mediation shall sign a letter of consent to mediate as an alternative to the formal police misconduct complaint process, outlined in COMAR 12.04.09 and the uniform citizen complaint process. Confidentiality. All parties involved in a potential mediation process shall agree to the confidentiality requirements as set forth in Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, §3-1803, Annotated Code of Maryland. Except as provided in Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article, §3-1804, Annotated Code of Maryland, statements shared during a mediation are considered confidential material and may not be disclosed in any judicial, administrative, or other proceeding. Costs associated with participating in a mediation program are the responsibility of the law enforcement agency employing the involved police officer.