{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-public-safety-3-303","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Public Safety § 3–303","heading":"","body":"(a) The following entities may apply for the appointment of special police officers for the following purposes:\n(1) a municipal corporation, county, or other governmental body of the State, in order to protect property owned, leased, or regularly used by the governmental body or any of its units;\n(2) another state, or subdivision or unit of another state, that has an interest in property located wholly or partly in this State, in order to protect the property;\n(3) a college, university, or public school system in the State, in order to protect its property or students;\n(4) a person that exists and functions for a legal business purpose, in order to protect its business property; or\n(5) a person that holds a valid license as a security guard agency under Title 19, Subtitle 3 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article, in order to protect property owned or leased by its clients.\n(b) The applicant for a commission shall be at least 18 years old.\n(c) (1) This subsection does not apply to an applicant for an initial commission who, within 5 years prior to application, has:\n(i) completed a basic training course for police officers approved by the Secretary in consultation with the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission;\n(ii) completed a basic training course for police officers similar to the course described in item (i) of this paragraph in another state or for the federal government;\n(iii) separated from a law enforcement agency in good standing; or\n(iv) completed training approved by the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission for a special police officer at a State institution of higher education.\n(2) An applicant for an initial commission shall complete a training course approved by the Secretary in consultation with the Maryland Police Training and Standards Commission consisting of at least 80 hours of instruction, including instruction on:\n(i) criminal law;\n(ii) constitutional procedural requirements relating to search, seizure, and arrest; and\n(iii) the appropriate use of force.","path":["Article - Public Safety"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=gps\u0026section=3-303","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T20:00:18Z","sha256":"7ce2b653711e46983ff13059a3bb195ee4e1810d2217055b7033699f29c9f24c","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-public-safety-3-302","next":"us-md/md.-code-public-safety-3-304"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}