2023 Maryland Statutes
Public Safety
Title 3 - Law Enforcement
Subtitle 1 - Police Accountability and Discipline
Section 3-108 - Victims' Rights Advocates -- Database Maintained of Complainants

    (a)    (1)    A law enforcement agency shall designate an employee as a victims’ rights advocate to act as the contact for the public within the agency on matters related to police misconduct.

        (2)    A victims’ rights advocate shall:

            (i)    explain to a complainant:

                1.    the complaint, investigation, administrative charging committee, and trial board process;

                2.    any decision to terminate an investigation;

                3.    an administrative charging committee’s decision of administratively charged, not administratively charged, unfounded, or exonerated; and

                4.    a trial board’s decision;

            (ii)    provide a complainant with an opportunity to review a police officer’s statement, if any, before completion of an investigation by a law enforcement agency’s investigative unit;

            (iii)    notify a complainant of the status of the case at every stage of the process; and

            (iv)    provide a case summary to a complainant within 30 days after final disposition of the case.

    (b)    Each law enforcement agency shall create a database that enables a complainant to enter the complainant’s case number to follow the status of the case as it proceeds through:

        (1)    investigation;

        (2)    charging;

        (3)    offer of discipline;

        (4)    trial board;

        (5)    ultimate discipline; and

        (6)    appeal.